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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24707881">Tell Me Who</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xen_baja_blast/pseuds/xen_baja_blast'>xen_baja_blast</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Half Life, Half Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossover, Gordon Swap AU, Mute Gordon Freeman, but only one of them, gratuitous abuse of half life lore, momentary implied freemance, strongarming of hlvrai canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:47:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>51,619</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24707881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/xen_baja_blast/pseuds/xen_baja_blast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Freeman has vanished from Black Mesa. In another time and place, Gordon Freeman has gone missing from White Forest. Alyx and Barney find someone, but not exactly who they were searching for. The Science Team finds someone quite odd indeed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>765</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Right Man, Wrong Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Gordon Swap has cursed my brain and my work is never finished. Inspired by excalibagel's lovely art on tumblr: https://excalirebagel.tumblr.com/post/618777508911988736/ha-ha-what-if-gordon-from-half-life-and-gordon</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gordon had been missing for approximately twelve hours. Give or take, since his absence had only been noticed that morning when both Alyx and Barney had failed to find him for his watch shift. The HEV suit had also mysteriously vanished from the lab, which was concerning in and of itself-- the thing weighed a ton and Barney <em>knew</em> that it took at least two people to get the latches done up in the back.</p>
<p>Despite the inherent time and teamwork that would have been required for the HEV suit to have disappeared, nobody had seen it leave. Not the night watch, not any of the late-working researchers, and not even their sensor system. It was as if the man -- and his suit -- had simply vanished.</p>
<p>The more places in White Forest they searched, the more Barney failed to smother his own worry, Alyx's tight expression exposing that she probably was thinking along the same lines. It was hard to forget the confused and far too young Gordon that had first stumbled into City 17, a thousand unanswered questions about what had <em>happened</em> to him for twenty years that had been ignored now coming back in full force.</p>
<p>Perhaps the only thing preventing the shift to an <em>outright</em> panic was how... unconcerned the Vortigaunts seemed to be about this. Not that Vortigaunts ever really seemed to panic, but their soft spot for Gordon was undeniable and Barney knew that they'd mention if he was involved in anything truly... perilous. Hell, they'd been the first ones to say that Gordon was still alive, all those years ago, and they'd been right. So the fact that none of them had proclaimed his death was comforting, sort of.</p>
<p>Their extremely cryptic remarks about where he'd <em>gone</em>, on the other hand, were significantly less so.</p>
<p>"A thread in a tapestry is not always seen. It crosses the weft, vanishing from view... and its return strengthens the whole," Uriah had said to them both, Barney trying to pick apart the metaphor for a moment before giving in to his mounting frustration.</p>
<p>"But where's he <em>now</em>?" He'd snapped. Uriah fixed him with a many-eyed, unimpressed stare. Alyx, ever the more diplomatic out of the two, spoke instead.</p>
<p>"What are we supposed to do? Can we get him back?" she asked. Uriah pondered for a moment before he spoke, bobbing his head in an approximation of a nod.</p>
<p>"That weft with which the Freeman has entangled himself... will be visible to us now."</p>
<p>Not really an answer. But not really-- not an answer. Probably an answer that made a lot more sense if you understood the Vortessence and abstract weaving metaphors, or whatever. Alyx nodded like it made sense, but Barney could see the confusion in her expression.</p>
<p>Before they could ponder this or ask any followup questions, an out-of-breath rebel burst into the lab, looking as if they had just run a marathon.</p>
<p>"We--Miss Vance--" he gasped, taking a deep breath as he composed himself, "We found him."</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>He'd been spotted near the silo. Which was weird, because he'd been nowhere <em>near</em> the silo the last four times Alyx had searched it, and to get there he would have had to cross most of White Forest, where almost everyone that wasn't doing something of critical importance had been re-tasked to searching for their wayward physicist.</p>
<p>Alyx and Barney had split up to search the massive structure, Alyx taking the elevator down to its lower levels to wind her way up while Barney started at the top and wound his way down.</p>
<p>Barney was complaining his way down a ladder, masking his worry with some sharp words that Gordon better have a <em>very</em> good explanation for what had been happening, when his hand slipped against something wet.</p>
<p>He froze, lifting a hand off the rungs and staring at the dark red sheen that covered his palm. It was just above standing height on the ladder, and as he glanced around he saw a few droplets scattered on the ground.</p>
<p>Well. He'd seen more morbid things in his time, but that was hardly encouraging. This level of the silo sloped down as it curved, and the trail stopped as soon as it started in a mass of orange, smeared with red.</p>
<p>That-- was not Gordon Freeman.</p>
<p>Barney tilted his head slightly, eyes squinting, taking in the bright orange of the HEV suit. Well. Maybe it was?</p>
<p>But it certainly wasn't the Gordon Freeman who had gone missing that morning, up and vanishing before dawn and leaving him and Alyx and the entirety of White Forest in disarray. For starters, Barney hadn't seen <em>this</em> HEV suit in twenty-odd years, not since the last time he'd drawn the short stick of helping scientists with Hazard Training at Black Mesa.</p>
<p>Despite how old the suit must have been it seemed in fairly good condition, blood and grime aside. Barely dented, which was impressive on its own. A soft, slow dripping sound tore him from his thoughts back to the... man in the HEV suit. Looking a little closer, Barney could see the glint of familiar glasses, face hidden behind hair that was longer than Gordon had ever kept his.</p>
<p>Whoever the hell this was shifted, hissing a deep breath out through clenched teeth.</p>
<p>"Fuck," the stranger murmured, and Barney started. Well, that about cinched it. Definitely not Gordon.</p>
<p>The stranger seemed to finally realize he was not alone and started to scrabble to standing, wobbling dangerously. He faltered, arms moving out to try and catch himself, and only then did Barney realize that the soft dripping sound was that of blood, the stranger's hand moving back to being protectively wrapped around--</p>
<p><em>Oh, holy shit.</em> Was that a stump? It looked like someone had cleaved clean through the HEV suit, and just the thought about how much pressure would be needed to accomplish made him shudder.</p>
<p>The stranger looked up, and despite all the differences -- the long hair and the wrong suit and the <em>fucking missing hand</em> -- bright green eyes stared into his, confusion and pain writ large across his features.</p>
<p>"...what the fuck?" the stranger with too-familiar eyes asked, taking a halting step before toppling forward, Barney rushing to catch him before he faceplanted into the ground.</p>
<p>"Ah, hell," he murmured to himself, struggling to manage the heft of both man and suit, "Alyx is gonna freak."</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Gordon woke up to the smell of antiseptic, which was just. Weird. The last thing he remembered was more filthy fucking sewage water to wade through and an overpowering headache that he was going to attribute to blood loss. There was a brief flash of something else, of a man and of some cold concrete, but neither of those explained where he was now.</p>
<p>Maybe he'd passed out and his... companions (he hesitated to call them friends, really, after two of them got his goddamn hand cleaved off) had actually taken him to the cybernetics department instead of leaving him to die. That somehow seemed too charitable for them, but they did occasionally have their moments. Sometimes. Tommy had his moments.</p>
<p>He supposed he was going to get no answers unless he opened his eyes, so...</p>
<p>...He had no idea where this was. It was kind of grody, though: despite the overpowering hospital smell the bed he was on seemed old and worn, a mildly suspicious dark stain coloring one corner that he didn't want to think about. There were a few papers on the wall, but the longer he stared at them the more he realized he absolutely could not read them. A moment later he realized that he wasn't wearing his glasses, and after a brief search and a bit of fumbling his hand struck against the metal frames on a nearby table, another instant finding them on his face.</p>
<p>One problem sorted, and only like two thousand more to go.</p>
<p>A quick glance around the room (now with the power of sight!) revealed that he still couldn't read the documents on the wall, although this seemed to be because they were in a language other than English. Russian, maybe? He was going with Russian until disproved.</p>
<p>His survey also revealed two people asleep in chairs not too far from the bed, which didn't strike him as immediately strange. There was a small skylight through which he could see the night sky, and he reasoned it must be fairly late at night or perhaps early morning. He then realized some things in rapid succession:</p>
<p>One: He had absolutely no idea who these people were.<br/>
Two: He had no idea where this was, because he didn't <em>think</em> Black Mesa was covered in Cyrillic the last time he checked.</p>
<p>He mentally started trying to weigh up his options, plotting how he might be able to make a break for it (to where, he didn't know, but waking up in random locations had never ended well for him before and he didn't think it would start now), when he realized issue number Three: the HEV suit was gone.</p>
<p>How had they even gotten it off? It took like seven people and an instruction manual to get the thing managed, and Gordon had kind of assumed that after he got out of Black Mesa he was just going to have to live in it. He gave another curious glance to the two people snoozing nearby, a young woman and a man that was probably around Tommy's age, but nothing about their appearance belied their Hazard Suit knowledge.</p>
<p>Should he be panicking? He genuinely wasn't sure: on one hand, this place had the immense leg up of at least not being Black Mesa. On the other, he had no idea what he was doing here and no protection, and it would really just be his luck for these people to decide to take his other hand for some bullshit arcane reason.</p>
<p>His decision on whether to panic or not was easily decided for him when the previously-unconsidered door opened. A massive brown alien, like the ones that had been trying to kill him for the last two days straight, walked in. It was wearing a lab coat, which he registered only vaguely. He had no weapon, and even if he did he wouldn't have been able to hold one.</p>
<p>Barney wasn't entirely sure when he had dozed off, but he was abruptly awakened to the sound of yelling. Their stranger had vaulted himself off the bed, and though his body seemed momentarily stunned by pain (Barney mentally winced just looking at the weight being put on that stump arm, bandaged though it may be) his mouth was making up for it with a flurry of panicked curses. The doctor (Saul, maybe? Alyx probably knew) seemed unimpressed, closing the door behind him easily and standing still as the not-Gordon panicked, taking the IV stand in his good arm and attempting to brandish it as a deterrent.</p>
<p>"It seems... he has awakened," he said, and the sound of the Vortigaunt speaking English seemed to stun the man into silence, confusion overtaking his features.</p>
<p>"What? What???" he asked, Alyx having awoken and moving with a confidence that he was sure neither of them felt to kneel down next to the man they'd found.</p>
<p>"Hey hey, don't worry," she soothed, cocking her head towards the Vortigaunt, "Silas has never hurt anybody. He's a doctor."</p>
<p>She gently tugged the man's makeshift weapon from his hand, supporting him around the waist as she eased him to standing and then back into the bed. The man scrubbed a confused hand through his hair, the long locks falling back around his face as his eyes uneasily moved between them and Silas.</p>
<p>"Can someone <em>please</em> tell me what's going on?" he finally asked, sounding a bit despondent.</p>
<p>"We were hoping you could tell us, actually," Alyx said, giving him a tight smile. "We found you pretty badly hurt at the silo."</p>
<p>His eyes briefly flicked down to consider the bandages over his wrist before they looked back up at her, and then uneasily at the Vortigaunt.</p>
<p>"Uhm. Thank you. For patching this up."</p>
<p>"The Vorts do pretty good work," Barney said, the man snapping his attention to him instantly. Jumpy. "What's your name?"</p>
<p>"...Gordon Freeman. At your service," the man spoke easily, tensing when Alyx let out a sharp hiss of breath.</p>
<p>"That's what I thought you'd say," Barney sighed, and the man seemed to get slightly agitated at the answer.</p>
<p>"Well if you knew, why did you ask?" He asked a bit tersely, looking around. "You weren't, uh, looking for me, right? This isn't Black Mesa, is it?"</p>
<p>"No," Alyx says, "Black Mesa hasn't existed for a long time."</p>
<p>"Time and space are but tangled threads," Silas abruptly butt in, Gordon twitching (really jumpy, jeez) where he sat at the sound, "Black Mesa exists, and is destroyed, eternally. The Freeman walks its halls in many times, in many places. He walks it even now, although he has passed through its walls already."</p>
<p>"What? What the fuck does that mean?" Gordon asked, but Alyx seemed to be thinking.</p>
<p>"A tangled set of threads," she murmured, her foot tapping slightly as she considered the words, "The thread crosses the weft...which runs orthogonal."</p>
<p>Silas bobbed his head. "Another cord, briefly intertwined."</p>
<p>"So he's Gordon Freeman," she breathed, "But-- another cord. Another direction. Different."</p>
<p>"Just so."</p>
<p>"So he's not ours." Barney said, giving the not-quite-Gordon an appraising look. "...Great."</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been quiet, recently. Gordon knew better than to ever assume the best of a given situation, but... the longer it was without sight of the man in the suit, the more everyone seemed to relax. Alyx and Barney seemed to finally have decided he wasn't going to vanish on them, the three finally allowing themselves to stop holding their breath that Gordon just... wouldn't be there, one day.</p>
<p>Which really just made him angrier that he couldn't move his lungs to let out a frustrated shout when he heard the hiss of the man's voice. He can feel the tight pressure of the HEV suit against his skin, frustration and worry and a thrill of fear mingling together. He doesn't remember putting it on, not that <em>that</em> meant anything in particular. He wondered if anybody would notice it missing, or if this was more weird spacetime dimensional... whatever.</p>
<p>The man continues talking, although Gordon hadn't really been paying attention at the start amid all the turmoil in his own head. The man is... well, Gordon wouldn't really call it a briefing, but it's as close as the man will ever get -- someone has requested his <em>excellent</em> services in a rather unprecedented capacity, or something, a task he is uniquely suited to. Lots of teased information, but ultimately a lot of non-answers. Frozen as he is his lungs don't work right now to sigh, although Gordon kind of wishes they would.</p>
<p>A blur, a flash, and his breath catches in his throat when he sees concrete walls around him. Above him the VOX crows, directing a unit topside, and Gordon can hear the distant chirp of a pack of houndeyes and <em>no</em>.</p>
<p>The Vortigaunts said that Black Mesa, despite being destroyed, had never quite stopped existing. Gordon was pretty sure they meant that in a semi-literal 'time doesn't actually exist' way, although most of the humans they said this to took it more metaphorically. After all, Black Mesa still existed because it haunted Gordon's dreams, and Barney's, and everyone who had been unlucky enough to live through it and the intervening years, but...</p>
<p>Here it was. He's comforted that his... employer has at least seen fit to give him a crowbar this time, and though he doesn't know why he's here he knows how this works. It will become clear in time, or at least his immediate goal will be, and he'll vanish again once it's done. Off to something new. Away from White Forest, and his friends, and anybody he might meet here.</p>
<p>"Mister Freeman!"</p>
<p>He spins around at the voice, a younger man (although probably still older than Gordon) running towards him. He's wearing the uniform Black Mesa forced on all their scientists, his labcoat tinged with a bit of blood as well as muck that was surely from the facility's (bizarrely numerous) canals. He's carrying a pistol, although it's pointed away from Gordon towards the ground. He holds his crowbar a little closer, just in case, but the clothes set him at ease despite himself. He's not that surprised that the scientist recognizes him -- most had, by the end of his... misadventures through Black Mesa.</p>
<p>"What a relief to finally find you, Mister Freeman! I was worried when--" he stops abruptly, glancing away for a moment. "Uh, that is, you vanished, and... well, it doesn't matter, because now I've found you!"</p>
<p>That was a little weirder, though. Gordon didn't recognize this man, and while he had met numerous scientists on his way through the facility back then, he thought he had remembered most of them.</p>
<p>"Who are you, exactly?" Gordon signed, not really expecting an answer. He internally sighed at the scientist's blank expression, although he let himself be a little hopeful when his new companion tracked the movements, eyes growing larger in what Gordon hoped was recognition.</p>
<p>"Mr. Freeman, your hand! It's back!"</p>
<p>...What?</p>
<p>Gordon let out a choked-off cry of indignation as the man grabbed his arm, marvelling at his (totally normal) gloved hand before he started dragging him off, having launched into an excited spiel about how 'the others' would be delighted to see that he had recovered from his dismemberment. Despite the fact that one of them was in an HEV suit and it was <em>not the man dragging him</em>, and despite the fact that the HEV suit weighed a veritable ton, Gordon found to his surprise and dismay that he was being pulled along like a children's toy.</p>
<p>"Wait 'til we tell the others!"</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>The scientist dragging Gordon along yelled excitedly as he approached a small group, waving the arm that was not manhandling him and making Gordon duck his head nervously. He looked around for any Xen creatures that might be nearby, and while a smattering of yellow blood against the near wall did not exactly assuage his fears, he at least took comfort in the fact that whatever might ambush them would at least be wounded.</p>
<p>...Or had been bested, it seemed, because as he took stock of the group he was being pulled towards one of the men stood up from a (very dead) bullsquid he had been prodding, lab coat absolutely covered in alien blood.</p>
<p>"I found Mr. Freeman, guys. And his arm grew back!" the man said as they slowed to a stop. Gordon took stock of the small gathering: two scientists in addition to the one who had dragged him here, significantly older than either Gordon or his tall companion. Next to them stood a security guard, his attention still on the bullsquid as he nudged it with his boot.</p>
<p>"Excellent job regenerating your limbs, Gordon!" said one of the older scientists, a man with bushy hair who was the one covered in blood. "And excellent work catching up with us, Tommy!"</p>
<p>The younger scientist (Tommy, presumably) grinned, finally releasing Gordon. He rubbed his sore wrist before trying again to communicate, taking stock of the situation in the rapid-fire way that being dumped somewhere unceremoniously by some interdimensional businessman forced one to. Surely they had worked out some method of communication, if Gordon had been... travelling with them, as they seemed to think?</p>
<p>"I never lost my hand?" he tried, and the shorter man from before nodded appreciatively. <em>Finally--</em></p>
<p>"Yes, Gordon, we see that your hand has returned to you! Perhaps the Powerade had stronger restorative properties than we first thought..."</p>
<p>Gordon paused for a moment. Genuinely tried to consider that statement from a few different angles. Came up frustratingly blank.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Quit waving your Powerade hand in all our faces," the other scientist snapped, a taller gentleman who had not been quite as lucky as to keep all his hair. Gordon scowled at him, trying to let the irritation slide off him.</p>
<p>The security guard, previously silent through this, finally slid his gaze up from the bullsquid to stare at Gordon. He slouched over, giving him a curious once-over as he walked in a tight circle around him. Gordon got the distinct impression this was meant to be intimidating, the guard sizing him up as a predator might their prey.</p>
<p>...Which was ridiculous, because Gordon had a few inches on this man and this guy seemed more tired than threatening.</p>
<p>When Gordon didn't respond to his presence other than a curious eyebrow raise the guard seemed slightly put off, doing another curious circle around him, a little slower.</p>
<p>The guard hummed, a faint light slipping through his lips and the air humming with a pure note. There was a shifting orange to blue light, and Gordon furrowed his eyebrows as it formed into a small orb, reaching out to gently catch it between his fingers. It didn't feel like a whole lot, only the gentle pressure against his gloved fingers indicating it existed at all.</p>
<p>The glow was familiar. Not in an Earthly way, but... like the stripes of a Houndeye's back, or the soft sparking of the Vortigaunt's electricity. Like the sloshing, dense waters of Xen. Alien.</p>
<p>"Ah, the Black Mesa Sweet Voice is truly remarkable," one of the scientists said. Gordon ignored the comment, studying the small orb in his hands. The Vortigaunts had been kind enough to explain it, once and then multiple times over as if that could possibly help any human understand, that their communication used tones. It was more complicated than that, as they had <em>also</em> attempted to explain to the humans multiple times, and there was some stronger component -- the Vortessence, they called it, that gave context to sound. Plucking at reality itself.</p>
<p>"What's it mean, Tommy?" the shorter scientist asked. Gordon gave a curious glance over.</p>
<p>"Orange to blue means... Who are you? But-- Benrey, we've already met Mr. Freeman! He's our friend!"</p>
<p>Gordon gave a curious glance from the light in his hands to the security guard (Benrey, presumably). While the tones and light seemed distinctly Xenian, the color was certainly new. Perhaps the color substituted something -- a replacement for human inability to sense the shifting of the Vortessence. Strange, certainly, but dimensions were practically collapsing into each other at Black Mesa, and Gordon knew first-hand that this would not be the weirdest thing to happen in these fourty-eight hours by far.</p>
<p>He decided to file his curiosity about it away for later, instead focusing on what Tommy had said it meant. While the rest of his companions had seemed to act like they had been with Gordon before he had appeared back in Black Mesa, this guard was giving him an intense, distinctly unfriendly stare.</p>
<p>"This isn't ours," he finally said, gesturing vaguely at Gordon. His voice came out as a low mumble, a few more snippets of light and sound escaping with his speech, brief glimpses of orange and blue.</p>
<p>"Well, it's true that before he left he wouldn't shut the fuck up," the other older scientist said, giving Gordon a shrewd gaze, "and he hasn't had a fit in the last ten minutes, which might be a new record."</p>
<p>Gordon had been losing track of this conversation since the Powerade comments, so he simply watched as the other older scientist spoke up.</p>
<p>"Now Bubby, perhaps Gordon is just finally coming around to the situation! Adapting to our unprecedented circumstances!"</p>
<p>"Doctor Coomer," Tommy said, "He-- he is pretty quiet. Do you think--"</p>
<p>"This isn't ours," Benrey repeated more insistently, a sharp tone accentuating his point. The light was a milky white, and with the harsh sound that the guard had made Gordon didn't think that his frustration really needed any translating.</p>
<p>Tommy seemed to disagree, canting his head slightly. "White is--"</p>
<p>"Now Tommy, I do believe that was more of a Skyvory--"</p>
<p>The three scientists devolved into minor bickering over what exact shade of white that had been while Gordon considered what little information he'd gotten, trying to determine precisely why the man had seen fit to drop him here. He'd already been to Black Mesa, after all, and the man had made it quite clear the first time that his... <em>results</em> had been more than satisfactory.</p>
<p>So why here, and now? Why with this odd group, who seemed to know him but didn't know he couldn't speak, arguing about how <em>strange</em> he was acting, who said bizarre things that didn't line up at all with the Black Mesa Gordon had known.</p>
<p>Who thought he'd been injured, apparently severely enough to be missing a limb, and...</p>
<p>Wait. A group that had been travelling with Gordon Freeman. A Gordon Freeman who had been incapacitated. A request for a task he was <em>uniquely</em> suited to.</p>
<p>There was no way. Gordon considered the current situation at Black Mesa, where aliens were slipping through holes in spacetime like water through a sieve.</p>
<p>He thought about his freaky employer again and audibly sighed, the security guard snapping his head around to give him an intense stare.</p>
<p>"It's Cosmic Latte." Bubby (<em>??</em>) finally confidently declared.</p>
<p>"Cosmic Latte is, uh-- for things from far away," Tommy stated, eyes darting nervously between Benrey and Gordon. He played nervously with his hands, fiddling with the joints as he spoke, "B-but Mister Freeman isn't-- I mean sure, his hair is shorter and he's got both his hands and he hasn't said a single word which is a little weird, but--"</p>
<p>"Bet the last one was some neurotic fuckin' prototype," Bubby grumbled, giving Gordon a suspicious look.</p>
<p>'This would be a lot easier as a two way conversation', Gordon thought to himself, pondering the guard's use of the... 'Sweet Voice' (as Dr. Coomer had called it). Surely if the guard could do it, he could as well, right? He could, after all, still remember the arduous afternoon in which a few Vortigaunts had wanted to examine if '<em>The Freeman'</em> had yet percieved the tapestry. In theory it was all about intent, the vocalizations a mere medium. And if no human had ever been able to do it since the Vortigaunts had more permanently established themselves on Earth...</p>
<p>Well. Black Mesa had always been a confusing and strange place.</p>
<p>Maybe start simple. He hummed softly, signing along with the thought as he remembered something one of the Vortigaunts had told him. <em>The Vortessence is everywhere. To communicate-- you must simply reach out and touch it.</em></p>
<p>"Uh, hey? You said you were travelling with--" a pause, a consideration of how to phrase this, but he eventually gave up, "-- a Freeman?"</p>
<p>Light green to a sort of-- tan, and a buzzing hum that seemed to more exist around Gordon than to originate from any one place. The sensation was odd, a fleeting taste in his mouth like the dust of Xen and maybe the slightest hint of Sprite. The security guard jumped at the soft humming tone, giving him a wide-eyed look. Gordon gave him a confused glance, not understanding given that the guard had just used the same trick.</p>
<p>"Excellent job mastering the Black Mesa Sweet Voice, Gordon!" Dr. Coomer said, giving Gordon a heavy clap on the back as Gordon tried to expel the taste of alien dust and flat soda from his mouth. He signed an uncertain "thanks," surprised when the gesture resulting in him coughing, the so-called Sweet Voice escaping.</p>
<p>"Yeah see? Not ours uhhh, fuckin' idiot Freeman never got the hang of that shit, can't see can't hear shit, man," Benrey said, but he hadn't stopped staring at Gordon, mouth twitching like he couldn't quite decide what his reaction should be.</p>
<p>"A-and, uhm, we were travelling with y-- mm," Tommy paused, as if considering his phrasing as well, "a Freeman? Who I guess wasn't you? Which, okay, but, uhm, would you still accompany us to the Lambda Lab? And we'll figure out what happened to our Mr. Freeman along the way, I'm sure!"</p>
<p>Gordon had a sneaking suspicion that their Freeman had been plucked out of existence and potentially fed to a bunch of aliens or something, but he nodded anyway. At least Black Mesa was, in its own bizarre way, kind of familiar.</p>
<p>He glanced at the fading orbs at his feet. Well. Relatively speaking.</p>
<p>"Excellent!" Dr. Coomer boomed, "It's only twenty six more hours to the Lambda Lab, at this rate! Let's get going, gentlemen!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Save the Animals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alyx sat in her father's office. Two floors down and a few halls away, a very familiar stranger was recuperating from a mystery dismemberment. It'd been chaotic. A person plus HEV suit was too heavy for Barney to carry solo for long, and Alyx hadn't initially been able to see past the blood and that familiar face, heart thrumming loudly in her chest as she called for the Vortigaunt doctors. She could still feel the blood seeping into her clothes, Barney murmuring assurances and the occasional 'hang in there' that could have been meant for any of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then he'd finally stabilized, the Vortigaunts pushing away any alarmed or curious human rebels that got too close, and she'd realized she had no idea who she had just dragged to their medical wing. The face was familiar, but everything else was wrong, and it had been-- unsettling. The sensation of their delicate normal being disrupted, <em>again</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Knowing the truth of the matter now didn't do much to assure her. Of course, it wasn't this Gordon's fault that the metaphorical rug had been pulled out from under her. But she had at least thought she'd had the relief of knowing Gordon was back <em>with them</em>, and the realization that he was still unaccounted for and potentially displaced made her deeply uneasy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Combine were interdimensional, after all. It had not been so long since they'd closed their latest portal attempt, and even if they had not been responsible for this... incident, it meant something was unstable. Abusable. Meant that Gordon might be somewhere less protected, in a place where the Combine had far more reach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She cut the train of thought off abruptly there. She buried her worry under thoughts of what to do next; now that their guest seemed to be on the mend she and Barney could start the next part of their plan. A hastily assembled plan with far too few details, but simple enough in theory: they just had to figure out what, exactly, had yanked their Gordon out of his proper point in spacetime, find some way to open a portal or... something, and bring him back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Easy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the meantime, they just had to keep everyone who didn't need to know from finding out that the current Freeman-in-residence wasn't quite the right one. Alyx didn't even want to think about the headache that might cause, let alone the hit to morale. Or if any of the remaining Combine caught word and decided to stage something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It'd be fine. They'd just have to rip a few holes in spacetime and keep the strange jumpy man in their medical wing from opening his mouth for a bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She'd done harder things before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As it turned out, when you showed up somewhere bleeding out on the floor, everyone tended to get a little nervous about letting you go anywhere. It also turned out that continuing to run on adrenaline and fear for hours while bleeding out was not good for human people, and so Gordon wasn't capable of much more than lying in bed <em>anyway</em> while his body did its damndest to make more blood for him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The weird alien doctor was next to him<strike>,</strike> adjusting the IV that Gordon had previously tried to wield in his general direction. He wondered vaguely if he should apologize for being... rude? By yelling in terror? Given that apparently the aliens and humanity were just totally chill here.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On one hand the lady from before, Alyx, had explained that Silas had probably reduced his recovery time to a few days instead of a few weeks or longer. On the other hand, he could still feel the memory of electricity arcing over the HEV suit courtesy of a few of this guy's interdimensional kin, and it had hurt like a bitch. He decided that he was sufficiently frustrated by his bizarre predicament to nurse the grudge a little longer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a knock at the door. Alyx entered, giving them both a friendly smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey Silas," she said, giving Gordon a brief nod of acknowledgement, "Mind if I borrow our guest for a few moments? I need to ask him some questions, and he doesn't quite seem up to the walk to the meeting room yet."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"The Wayward Freeman indeed... should rest a bit longer," Silas agreed, "We shall return in the evening to determine his condition. Should you have need of us before then, all the Wayward Freeman must do is ask."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alyx pursed her lips as Silas spoke. "Can you ask the other Vortigaunts not to call him... that? With everything else that's happened recently we might want to keep this recent development on the down-low."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Silas seemed to consider this for a moment. "...Indeed. We shall discuss this matter."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Thanks," she said, her shoulders relaxing just the slightest bit. Gordon blew a stray hair out of his face as the door quietly clicked closed behind Silas, Alyx locking the door before dropping into a chair and giving him a considering look.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...So," she eventually began, deciding to start simple, "Freeman. Uh... <em>Doctor</em> Freeman, or...?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He's relieved for the mercifully normal lead-in. Back at Black Mesa, it seemed that he had always been the one asking the others about their lives, searching for some common ground or sense of normalcy. Someone else showing interest felt <em>nice</em>, and geez. That was a bit of a depressing thing to think, Gordon thought. Get excited that someone wants to know if you have a doctorate. Sure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Uh--yeah, yeah. Not too far out from my doctorate, really. Did a post-doc at-- uh, does Innsbruk even exist here? Anyway-- started at Black Mesa, things go to hell within like a month, I get the impression from your alien pals that something similar happened here."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She nodded, and he noted that she doesn't seem surprised by any of that. Maybe Innsbruk did exist here. He wondered vaguely what made certain things interdimensional constants, like Black Mesa, or Gordon Freeman, or the big aliens like Silas that the Science Team never <em>did</em> agree on a name for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That's about right. Your research... theoretical physics?" she asked, and he nodded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I can tell you about my thesis, if you want," he offered, and Alyx looked at him with amusement.<strike></strike></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"If it's about teleportation and crystals, I'm afraid that your counterpart beat you to the punch."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I-- wait. Did we write the same thesis?" he paused, as if considering this, "Does-- do-- I think I'm having a moment, a-about what this means for free will, and determinism, and stuff like that. We're not like, identical, right? Because if we're identical I think I'm going to have a minor crisis."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"No, you're not identical. You're way chattier, for one." She laughed slightly, although after a moment she seemed to be considering his question genuinely, "That said... Probably it isn't the <em>same</em> thesis, as our dimensions probably aren't exactly identical and physics is definitely <em>not</em> an interdimensional constant, for starters. A coincidence, I guess?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That wasn’t entirely convincing or comforting, but he decided to accept it for the attempt at comfort it was trying to be and to postpone any existential crisis. Coomer had like 300 clones that made some weird hive mind or whatever and managed just fine. He could deal with his alternate universe self also having an aggressively niche interest in crystals and lasers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's lucky for us, though," Alyx admits after a moment, "since we're kinda hoping you can help us out here. Our science team is... down a few compared to its normal numbers, and we could really use another specialist on deck for what we're planning."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Given that Gordon's specialty had led to opening a tear in reality a scant few days ago for him (and seemed likely to be indirectly responsible for the current situation in this space-time), he wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She must have sensed his hesitation, because Alyx quickly continued. "Nothing crazy, I promise. Or at least not any crazier than our usual plans. I'm sure you'd like to go home just as much as we'd like to get you back there, and..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, I get it. Gotta untangle the dimensions, or whatever."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly, the door handle turned, and there's muttering as the door failed to open. Alyx jumped up at the sound to open the door, Barney walking in and immediately claiming another chair as Alyx returns to her own.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Everything alright?" she asked, seeing the exhaustion on his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Sure, aside from every rebel in White Forest asking after our good doc here, everything's fine. The Vorts aren't giving anything away, which I'm assuming is somehow your doing, but... I mean, you know how fast word spread about us bringing someone in an HEV suit here? About the blood in the silo? People are expecting something soon just to make sure Gordon isn't dead."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon could hear the frustration and wondered, exactly, <em>how many</em> people had hounded Barney on his way here this morning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Your Freeman must be a hell of a guy to get everyone that worked up," Gordon said, and he doesn't miss the way Alyx and Barney share an amused glance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You could say that," Alyx said, "The rebels around here could talk your ear off with all their stories about him. Some of them might <em>even</em> be true."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Don't get the Vortigaunts started on him, either. For all our sakes, please." Barney added, although after a moment something else seemed to occur to him. "Actually -- you probably shouldn't ask the rebels or the Vorts. That's probably like, spoilers or somethin', and the timelines will collapse and we'll all dissolve into nonexistence or whatever."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Read a lot of sci-fi?" Gordon asked, grinning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Laugh all you want, doc, but I'd like to remind you that you're the interdimensional doppelganger of my best friend, so I'm not sure you get to talk."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay. Well. He had a point, there, and Gordon conceded it with a shrug of his shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The plan, as Barney presented it, was very simple. All Gordon had to do was impersonate... himself, for a bit, and Alyx and Barney would in exchange try to keep him out of the eye of all the resistance until they could figure out a way to collapse dimensions and ship him home. Information on this would be strictly need-to-know, and hopefully the lack of contact would prevent Gordon from learning anything he shouldn't and 'dissolving them into nonexistence or whatever', as Barney adamantly believed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It also seemed way too open to approximately eight hundred ways to fail, and that made Gordon distinctly nervous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"This seems like a lot of variables," is what he diplomatically said instead, "I mean-- you already said we're not <em>that</em> similar, and there's also the whole--" he waved his stump arm around instead of finishing the sentence, not quite wanting to say it out loud.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In fact, the more Barney and Alyx talked about their Gordon Freeman, the less confident he felt that he could pull this off. He'd never been particularly reserved, and god knew he wasn't <em>quiet</em>, not to mention he didn't know a lick of sign language. His earlier concerns about this being his secret brain double and their linked lack of free will in thesis topics had given way to a different emotion. It was as if their knowledge about him was a room where all the furniture had been moved two inches to the right. Just similar enough that they could recognize him, and he could recognize himself in parts of their descriptions, but just unfamiliar enough that they all seemed to be tripping over the differences anyway. Except in this situation instead of a stubbed toe he'd apparently freak out a bunch of people who looked up to him and cause chaos.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Don't <em>worry</em>, Gordon," Barney said, "I guarantee nobody is going to notice."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You -- you just told me how important this guy was, that everyone has like ten thousand stories about him!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Uh, yeah, and here's one for you: the guy once got a crap assignment at Black Mesa that left him pulling overtime. Guy vanishes off the face of the goddamn planet for like two weeks until I eventually found him crashed in his apartment practically living off canned coffee and pasta. We make sure you're seen here or there so everyone thinks everything's fine, and you just do what you do best -- fuck up physics."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You don't have to like everything about this plan," Alyx finally said, "But... if you've got a better one we're <em>seriously</em> all ears."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He doesn't. Damnit. "Sure. Sure! I'm in." Gordon couldn't help but crack a small grin at the thought of his work being reduced to just 'fucking up physics', but he supposed that it wasn't technically <em>wrong</em>. Well. It was technically wrong, because theoretical physics in fact involved using lots of physics very carefully. He does appreciate the sentiment, though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hope your physics aren't too different, Doc," Barney quipped, although given everything it falls a bit flat as a joke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...I, uh, really hope so too."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Surprisingly, the hardest part of this plan so far was convincing their <em>wayward Freeman</em> to let Barney cut his hair. He seemed adamantly opposed to the idea and refused to let Barney's scissors within a few feet of him. His evasion was impressive for a man that was half stuck resting in bed, and Barney eventually gave up to sulk from a slight distance, hands impatiently tapping the scissors against his thigh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Cmon', Gordon, it's the most obvious difference between you two." A disbelieving look, a raised not-hand, "Aside from that. We'll manage that. The hair's gonna be a bigger issue, trust me."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I just, it's stupid, but Joshua really likes the long hair, and..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Joshua?" Barney asked, and he had a grin like he's prepping to rib Gordon about whoever this Joshua might be--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He's... my son?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Your <em>son</em>!?" Alyx couldn't help but blurt out because what. What? Barney seemed equally surprised, whatever he had been preparing to say forgotten and his eyebrows climbing impressively close to his hairline.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Well I'll be," is all Barney managed, and Gordon seemed supremely uncomfortable with the attention.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's not that weird! People have sons-- all the time! Like, every day!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sympathetic to Gordon's reasoning, or maybe just stunned out of wanting to continue the fight, Barney gave up trying to cut Gordon's hair off, instead shaking his head and muttering something about how he was going to find a beanie. The "get Gordon on board" step of the plan thus completed they left him to rest. Barney fell into step beside Alyx as they made their way down towards the labs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Can't say I was expecting that one," Barney jokes, but after a moment his expression turns serious. "This just means I was right about that whole alternate universe divergent timeline stuff, though. We don't know anything about where he's from. Not really. There's too many differences for us to try anything."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So we're really not going to tell him anything?" she said. Barney shrugged his shoulders, though she could see the tension in his shoulders and in his frown.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Look, Alyx, I don't know what the hell's happening where he's from, but I do know that the HEV suit we pulled off him was from Black Mesa. And I know sci-fi is a bit of a dead genre given that we live in an alien apocalypse, but can anything really <em>good</em> come from him knowing what's gonna come? If it even happens there?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"But what if-- Barney, he might be able to change everything! If they just knew what was coming, they might be able to prevent the Combine from ever invading their Earth!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Assuming the Combine even know about his dimension," Barney retorted, "and what if knowing all that just makes things worse? What if they try and stop it, and all it does is send out some big red flag letting the Combine know that dimension exists? Trying to control that kinda stuff never ends well."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"They'd have at least tried something, though. Wouldn't we have, if we'd known what was coming?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Maybe," Barney agreed, "But I'm not sure it would've done much good. Besides, Alyx... the guy just came out of Black Mesa. He's got-- a kid, apparently. Seems a bit cruel to dump all that's happened here on him on the heels of everything that he's been dealing with. Not when we can't be certain about it, and it'll just be one more thing for him to worry about here."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I... guess so."</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr. Coomer had just taken a running leap into a 30-foot pit. "This way, gentlemen!" he had very confidently declared to only Gordon, and then he had simply turned around and-- done it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon did not watch him fall, not eager to see the after-effects when he didn't catch the platform on the other side. He braced for the sound of a crunch, dreaded looking over the edge, but the silence hung for a moment until, inexplicably, he thought he heard the distant sound of a cymbal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of this strange group (the now-late Dr. Coomer had informed him it was called 'The Science Team!') chose that moment to enter the room, casting a curious glance to the newly-melted hole in the wall and then to Gordon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Where's Dr. Coomer?" Bubby asked. Gordon pointed an uncertain finger at said hole in the wall that fed out into the pit. Bubby walked, over, gave a glance down, and let out an irritated sigh. "Goddamnit."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That... seemed kind of like an understated response, but death was weird like that, he supposed, and--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>HELLO</em>, Gordon!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon whipped around to the doorway, where Dr. Coomer was walking in as if nothing had happened. He looked-- fine. Completely fine. Better than he had before, really. His lab coat wasn't even stained with blood, now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon looked back at the hole that Dr. Coomer had definitely just launched himself through, and then nervously back to the doctor standing in the doorway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr. Coomer, as usual, misinterpreted his nonverbal confusion. "Yes indeed, making that jump is no picnic."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon peeked out into the pit, glancing down. There wasn't even a body. He glanced up to see that Benrey had already made it to the nest of pipes on the opposite side of the gap at... some point, watching them idly. When Benrey noticed his stare he spat out a sharp tone, orange and blue momentarily shifting to a deep, dark red.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Weird, but the guard was also not his current question. He turned to Tommy, who seemed to be mildly fussing over Dr. Coomer, who himself seemed to be about to attempt another jump. He debated if there was a way to ask this question that was less... blunt than what he was about to say, but as Dr. Coomer again dashed into the pit (and, distantly, another cymbal was struck,) he gave up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How did-- why didn't he just die?" he asked, simultaneously expecting and not at all prepared for Dr. Coomer to just... walk in again. The question's a medium buzzing tone that hums with the movement of his hands, the taste in his mouth like ozone, the light a blue fading to the color of a rainy sky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tommy paused for a moment, clearly having not been expecting the question, and his brow furrowed for a moment as he stared at the lights.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Why would he have-- it's not like it was dramatic or anything, Mr. Freeman-- oh!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His eyes lit up with understanding, then, although his mouth is pulled into a sympathetic little frown.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I guess where you're from people die when they're killed, huh?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That must suck," Bubby helpfully added in before taking a running leap for the pipes. Where Dr. Coomer had now failed twice (a distant cymbal sounded-- thrice), he caught the pipes and hauled himself up, already looking for the next safe area to head and seeming to grouse at Benrey until he moved away from the edge, giving everyone else a bit more room to catch themselves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr. Coomer stopped where he was about to make a fourth attempt, turning back to consider Gordon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh dear, Gordon, living under the constant dread of mortality sounds horrible!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Of course-- people die? When they get hurt?" and once again, Gordon remembered that whole <em>apparent dimensional transfer</em> thing, although he had thought that had applied more to... timelines, and maybe some of the effects of the Resonance Cascade, and not whatever this conversation was. He coughed the taste of the Voice out of his lungs and pondered that things were maybe a bit more different than he'd originally surmised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Most unfortunate!" Dr. Coomer said, Tommy letting out a sympathetic little 'ohh' of pity. "Don't worry about us, Gordon! Here, death is quite-- ah, well, cheap is not the right word, but..." his tone lowered, becoming a bit more serious as he finished the thought, "it's quite hard to make it stick."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You just come back?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A pause as Tommy interpreted and relayed to Coomer, who then nodded in affirmative, earlier tone gone and his normal levity restored. "Just so! All patched up."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon was on the verge of accepting this at face value (after all, he had just watched Coomer take a few fatal falls in a row and just pop back up here like nothing had happened,) when he abruptly remembered why he was here in the first place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You all said the other Freeman was injured. Couldn't he have just...uh. Died?" and <em>what</em> a sentence that was, Gordon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At the question Tommy seemed to go deep into thought, only translating for Coomer when the man politely nudged him with a meaty punch to the arm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I-- I don't see why not," Tommy finally said, "but..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You know, our own Gordon often seemed to fear death-- quite a cautious man, he was! It seems that those who learn too much physics are doomed to live in fear of it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He always acted like it... mattered," Tommy agreed, "Up until the military took his arm, I'm not-- I don't think he ever actually got really hurt."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon nodded, Coomer having apparently decided the conversation was over to take another flying leap. Bubby scrambled to catch him before he could fall again, and on his fourth jump the man finally survived and made it across the gap. He tried to slot this new information in with what little else he learned, another factor to consider that seemed to only create more questions than answers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Science Team was currently taking a break. At least, everyone except for Gordon was taking a break; said man had vanished into a vent a few minutes ago, attempting to find a way around the power-locked door that was currently impeding their progress.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Said door would <em>not</em> have been impeding their progress, except for the fact that Bubby had gotten a bit excited and shot the single remaining scientist in the area. Their new Gordon had turned around immediately, ready for a presumed attack only to immediately come up short, face cycling between confusion, surprise, and a vague horror as he stared at the dead man at his feet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon turned to Tommy, expression schooled back to neutral. A quick gesture of the hands turned into a coughed-out bit of light and sound. Gordon doesn't seem to notice, but it doesn't escape the rest of the Science Team that Tommy immediately stiffens like he's been asked a very awkward question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...No, Mr. Freeman, he's. Uh. I think he's actually dead."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Presumably) another question, although the hum is a bit harsher, more of a buzz. His confusion is easy enough to read.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I-it's... more complicated than that. I don't really -- it's not just <em>everyone</em>. Who. Comes back."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A harsh sound, a bit of red, and then his hands stilled. Gordon gave Bubby a piercing stare, expression angry. Contemplative. The sharp anger really needed no translating, and nobody was keen to ask Tommy for a translation and get directly involved in whatever the hell <em>that</em> was. Gordon doesn't ask Tommy anything else, and an awkward silence hangs as they move through the labs. The discovery of a retinal scanner that none of them had clearance for had caused the icy silence to grow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh, shit," Bubby had said when he saw the retinal scanner, "Well... I didn't think he was <em>useful</em>."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon gives him another unreadable stare and then looks around, gesturing briefly to the vents before prying off the cover and disappearing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"G-good idea, Mr. Freeman! We'll be here if you find a way around," Tommy said nervously.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which brought them to here. Tommy was sitting next to the vent, fidgeting awkwardly with his hands as he kept glancing at the dark opening. Dr. Coomer, without a Gordon in a 20-foot radius to provide advice to, was rattling off the Wikipedia article for retinas to a Benrey who was definitely not paying attention, the guard staring down the hall with a black expression. Bubby grew tired of the awkwardness immediately.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"This new guy's a fuckin' weirdo," he finally said, everyone's attention snapping to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Come now, Bubby, New Gordon is simply adjusting!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What's his deal, anyway?" Benrey asked, "Fuckin'... not spitting his dumb Sweet Voice everywhere askin' questions now... muckin everything up, making the v--" he cut off, waving a hand in the air for a moment, "the, uh, the vibes. They're garbage."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Benrey stared expectantly at Tommy, who didn't quite meet any of their gazes as he spoke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He-- uhm, he's upset. About the scientist."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Whyyyyy," Benrey asked, flopping dramatically against the wall, "There's only gonna be like 5000 dead scientists today, it's not like that guy was <em>special</em> or <em>cool</em> or needed for a sweet achievement or--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Now everyone, we have to remember that New Gordon seems to have quite a strange impression of the world compared to our own!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Who cares?" Bubby interrupted, "Benrey's right; it's not like they matter."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I don't think he thinks like that," Tommy said, "He seemed-- I don't think he'll get that the others are different. The other Mr. Freeman was like that too, initially. I don't think they <em>can</em> really understand!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How sad," Coomer appends.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Old Gordon was a pushover. I don't think this guy is gonna exactly stop us," Bubby said, and at Tommy's uncertain shrug silence falls again on the group.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's hard to focus on much else other than not getting stuck while crawling through vents, the HEV suit's padded knees making a recurring <em>thud-thud</em> and the back of the HEV suit threatening to catch on every slight change in height. But even that was something of a routine, and Gordon mulled over the display of violence as he found a grate, pushing it open after a bit of wiggling and dropping into what seemed to be a supply closet. It's filled with abandoned guard vests and ammo for the glock, and after a bit of rummaging through the shelves he found a small box of bypass cards like the ones Barney used to carry to Kleiner's office. If any of the security rooms here were accessible, it could be programmed to get around the scanner. The door out into the hallway is locked, and with a bit of upper arm strength he's back in the vents trying to find his way to a security station.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tommy and Dr. Coomer had said death was more of an inconvenience than anything. Hell, Dr. Coomer had <em>shown</em> him, multiple times doing perfectly lethal things and then reappearing as if it was fine. So while turning around to see Bubby holding a gun and a scientist dead on the floor had been <em>initially</em> alarming, the complete lack of non-reaction from everyone else had assured him that this was also just-- a mild inconvenience. A temporary state.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tommy's nervous answer and the way he had wrung his hands indicated that something more was at play with how those rules worked. The scientist was actually dead, had actually been killed for reasons that were beyond Gordon, and nobody had cared. It was a bit of senseless cruelty that he didn't understand, and it only complicates further the picture of this world he's trying to build. The rules feel arbitrary, but he knows better than to assume that. For now, he pushed away his questions about rules of mortality in the interest of getting this bypass card programmed so that he could let his strange, violent companions progress.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He grimaced a bit at the thought, and then glanced to the card in his hand. He didn't think he could just leave them behind, not knowing that they had no other way out and what had happened to Black Mesa in his own time, but... he dropped down from another vent, pleased that this one seemed to be in a hallway. It was mercifully silent, the gentle blue light of a Security Office shining from around a corner, the only sound the heavy footfalls of the HEV suit and the flipping of the card between his fingers as he thought.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their group break was interrupted by the <em>thud-thud</em> of someone moving through the ventilation system and the resulting clattering of a vent cover. Gordon dropped down on the other side of the door, expression neutral. Coomer was instantly up and examining whatever he was holding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Fantastic! You've found a bypass card! With it, one may bypass a single door in Black Mesa!" he said. Gordon nodded, but didn't move any closer to the door. For an awkward moment, nothing happened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So what are you waiting for? Use the damn card," Bubby said, taking a step forward. Gordon shook his head, hands moving quickly and the shifting pitch of the Sweet Voice filling the silence. Goddamn <em>weird</em> is what that was. Tommy may have taken a shine to New Gordon, but everything Black Mesa had developed was a bit strange and a little unsettling, and the Sweet Voice was no exception. That <em>this</em> Gordon seemed to exclusively be able to communicate with it gave Bubby the creeps, and he wrinkled his nose as Gordon coughed out some color on the other side of the door. "...Tommy. What is green to a grey?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Uh..." Tommy leaned forward from where he was sitting to see the color, "A shifting... uh, like the leaves of a tree... to the color of steel... means, 'How about we make a deal?'" Tommy said, although a frown pulled at his lips as he spoke, "What's this about, Mr. Freeman?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oooh, gonna barter?" Benrey said, intent and smiling dangerously, the situation suddenly sufficiently interesting to pay attention to. "Gonna make a deal, man? Gonna trade for some sweet Playcoins?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon seemed confused for a brief moment by that final comment, but after an instant there was more movement, more color, a sharp buzzing tone that didn't really seem to originate from Gordon himself so much as it just existed around him, and that just made him even stranger. Freakier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...He doesn't want to know who here can and can't die," Tommy translated after a moment, "He says-- no more killing the scientists. Or guards."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Benrey groaned, something sounding a bit like <em>'lame'</em> escaping beneath the droning noise, but he doesn't look away. Gordon stands firm, bypass card in hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It appears we have been given an ultimatum, gentlemen," Coomer said, Gordon giving a slight nod of confirmation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There's a pause, the group looking between each other as Gordon stands there, key to their escape in hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ugh, <em>fine</em>," Bubby finally spat out, Benrey letting out an even quieter <em>'lame'</em>. "Taking all the fun out of this."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bubby doesn't bother to see what color Gordon spits out as a followup, because that shit was creepy. The hum is quieter, less aggressive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...Uhm..." Tommy canted his head to the side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He wants your word for this lame-ass pacifist run," Benrey supplied. After a moment he notices the others staring at him. "Huh?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What good is anybody's word in a place like Black Mesa? But fine, whatever."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This seemed to appease Gordon, who finally stepped forward and tapped the bypass card to the scanner. It let out a complacent beep, the screen flashing for a moment before the doors slide open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Using the situation to your advantage to achieve a favorable deal," Coomer said, nodding as he steps through the now open door. "Shrewdly played, Gordon!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Didn't think a Freeman had it in him to, uh, to use our deaths as leverage. Brutal, man, pretty harsh." Benrey says, giving Gordon a sharp look as he moves past him, "Maybe you're not as uh-- fffuckin lame as Old Gordon. Even if you're making us commit to save the animals 100% run."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon doesn't know what the hell half of that meant, but another boisterous statement from Coomer cut him off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"And as always, Tommy's skill with the Sweet Voice pays off! Your translations are quite excellent, young man."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"T-thanks," Tommy said, "My dad had me learn it. Says its uh-- expands our perception of the world. Language, that is! Language uh-- expands our world. Yeah."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gordon frowned at that, because he was pretty sure that the Sweet Voice was an <em>alien</em> language, but he's more interested in the translation from Benrey, who he had thought couldn't understand the strange lights and tones himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You understand it," Gordon said to him simply, and Benrey slid his gaze over to the small orbs of color before deliberately looking away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Huh? You talkin' to me, man?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You can understand me," he pressed, and Benrey stared at the colors again, eyes watching them intently for a moment before he scowls and pushed his helmet down so it shadowed his face a bit more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Wha? Nah." And despite the heft of the HEV suit he brushes past Gordon like he doesn't weigh anything, taking the lead in their group and disappearing around the corner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cramped office hallways and laboratories led to a wide reception area, where a skylight revealed that the sun had set some time ago. The Science Team decided to extend their short break from earlier into a longer one for the night, the three scientists claiming a corner behind a security desk to provide some cover from the open space. It doesn't seem like much actual protection should anything surprise them during the night, but Gordon gives up and takes watch. It's not like he'll be sleeping for the next few days, not with the amount of adrenaline that the HEV gave its users at the slightest indication of stress. Benrey sat on the main reception desk, face tilted up and seemingly considering the stars. Gordon leaned against the security desk and closed his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's not peaceful, because <em>nothing</em> about the bustling labs of Black Mesa had been peaceful, even before it was filled with aliens and marines, the hum of machinery omnipresent. It's not even a quiet moment, because Gordon could still distantly hear the whine of jets and the occasional far-off sound of an air strike. But it's-- undisturbed. For a brief few hours, they simply pause.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which, naturally, meant something had to happen to complicate his life. That was just how this kind of thing shook out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps he should have expected the man in the suit to come and... meddle, but he hadn't done so in Black Mesa the first time and so Gordon was slightly taken aback when he looked up to see that Benrey's idle fidgeting had completely stilled. He felt his lungs catch as time finally fully committed to freezing, the man stepping out easily from around a corner, briefcase in one hand and the other brushing off an invisible bit of lint.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Doctor Freeman..." the man started, and then he glanced up and-- actually paused. Took a few steps closer, a breath shuddering through his body like the effort took every muscle he had. He looked distinctly annoyed, although Gordon wasn't entirely sure what he could have done to warrant such an emotion. He vaguely wondered if he could figure it out and do it again, but mostly he was confused at the reaction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...Well. It seems that-- someone, has been inter<em>fering</em> with my, work." A pause, presumably as he prepared to say something else. The man's eyes scanned over Gordon's companions before he continued. "No matter... we shall make do, and it would seem that you have a... <em>hand</em> up on your counterpart, hm? Perhaps you will be more useful, to those who require your services. So, while I had come to make an <em>introduction</em> to him, I will instead say that it is, a pleasure to meet you... Doctor Freeman."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who left kudos and kind comments on the first chapter! This was originally only going to be a oneshot, but it's such a fun idea I couldn't let it be, and yall were so encouraging. I hope you enjoy where this story goes from here!</p>
<p>A quick note on the HLVRAI dimension: I wanted to keep this fic pretty lighthearted. While the Science Team are, in fact, a bunch of murderhobos set loose on Black Mesa, in the conceit of the original series they're also self-aware AI: the non-risk and the complete lack of consequence are both things they know about, and it's not morally wrong to kill someone in a video game, so why wouldn't they if it's fun? I've tried to capture this in how their world works, even if it's not a video game (...or is it). Unfortunately Gordon is here for save the scientists 100% forget the frames run</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Vonneguts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everything was totally normal and chill. If he kept repeating this to himself, Gordon thought it might eventually be true. He's walking down the hall, hair braided up and stuffed into an old knit hat Barney had unceremoniously tossed at him that morning. It at least helped against the pervasive damp chill that seemed to have settled into White Forest, though Gordon couldn't tell if that was from the weather outside (he had no idea what season it was, actually) or just the nature of a large cement building with minimal windows.</p>
<p>He resisted the urge to fidget with his right arm, metal biting into skin with each step he took. Attached to his wrist was something that loosely qualified as a prosthetic in that it was... approximately hand-shaped? While it would win minimal points for style and wasn't particularly comfortable, Gordon had to admit that under a glove it was convincing enough. Provided that nobody touched it, it'd work just fine. Surely sufficient for walking down a hall.</p>
<p>Alyx was walking on his right, no doubt telling him something extremely important about the research team he was about to join. He was half-listening, his attention drawn away to the goings-on around him. At some point in the last few days he had recovered enough blood for his brain to remember that he had apparently hopped dimensions, and despite repeated warnings that he probably shouldn't go poking around he couldn't help but be curious. Sue him, he was a scientist! Poking his nose into things was at <em>least</em> forty percent of his job description.</p>
<p>Everything they passed was familiar at first blush, albeit distinctly... old. The minimal paint that existed in White Forest was aged and flaking off the cement walls. They passed by some kind of communal kitchen, and he spied a small group of people using an oven that looked like it would have been outdated in Gordon's time. Alyx's clothes were well-worn, as were the clothes they'd given him. Even the beanie Barney had given him felt like it had been washed approximately ten thousand times, which was sort of comforting in an 'old sweater' way but also kind of weird in a 'someone else's hat' way.</p>
<p>People greeted them as they passed by, small <em>'Hey Freeman'</em>s and <em>'Morning Alyx!'</em>s following them through their walk. Gordon bit his tongue to prevent the reflexive desire to say hello back, Alyx taking up the slack while he just. Nodded. Awkwardly. Wondered if that was <em>too</em> standoffish. He gave a small wave to the next person to greet them, a man guarding a door with a lock who opened it for them with the punch of a few buttons on a keypad. He immediately wondered if that was too friendly? It was entirely too stressful to try and pretend to be somebody else. The devil was in the details, after all.</p>
<p>The door led to an elevator, which they entered. The machine groaned and creaked like it hadn't seen real maintenance in far too long, and he noticed that it didn't even have real walls. The chain link siding betrayed its original purpose as a freight elevator and lowered his confidence in it even further. Alyx didn't bat an eye when it shuddered slightly, although Gordon let out a deeply uncertain noise.</p>
<p>"Take it easy, Gordon," Alyx said gently, leaning against one of the fence walls and looking entirely too casual for the sound the elevator had just made, "We're almost down to the labs, and they already know what's up. Think you can make it about another 100 feet?"</p>
<p>"Sure," he said, ducking his head nervously as if <em>anybody</em> could have overhead them as the elevator shuddered to a stop.</p>
<p>This large door opened to another big alien and damn, Gordon should really figure out what everybody else called these if he's going to keep running into so many of them. The alien's eyes all slid to focus on him, its face frustratingly neutral. He tried to force down the small thrill of fear he felt at attracting its attention, half expecting its hands to come up to summon a bolt.</p>
<p>"We are pleased to see the Freeman has recovered," it said instead of electrocuting him, and Gordon noticed after a moment that this alien was also wearing a white coat like the doctor had. It even had an ID badge, and he squinted at it for a moment. <em>Uriah</em>. Huh.</p>
<p>He nodded instead of giving a real answer and was surprised when Uriah began to lead their group somewhere, hoofed feet clopping against the floor. There was a smaller door with another keypad which opened with a soft click when Uriah entered a code. Gordon could immediately see a few people through the doorway.</p>
<p>A man in a blue labcoat doesn't even bother to look up when they enter, scowling at some electronics like they had personally offended him. Another scientist was staring at some kind of device attached to a printer, the printer spitting out a graph that fed immediately into a recycling bin. This one looked up with a smile when the door opened.</p>
<p>"Ah, greetings! Alyx, I assume this is the new arrival that you were telling me about?"</p>
<p>Alyx responded, but Gordon's attention was immediately diverted to a large machine set up in the center of the room. It dominated the space, scaffolding rising about twenty feet into the air. It seemed either unfinished, a safety hazard, or both, thick wires surrounding its base and winding up the metal like vines up a tree. A platform was set amongst the cables just above floor level, with a small set of steps that seemed to indicate a person was supposed to stand in the middle of... whatever it was. The wires stretched out from the top to something that looked suspiciously like a laser, aimed right at the platform.</p>
<p>Gordon had no idea what this was, the slightly thrown-together look of the tech offering minimal details as to how it worked. If these people hadn't been pretty nice so far he might have assumed it was some kind of death ray? He heard shuffling footsteps come up beside him.</p>
<p>"Oh, yes, the teleporter is indeed quite something, isn't it? A simply spectacular result of our old research, though we never could have dreamed we'd be using it in <em>these</em> kind of circumstances."</p>
<p>The voice was familiar, but not in a way Gordon could immediately place. "A teleporter? This large? At Black Mesa, most of the work in AnMat was--"</p>
<p>"Yes, yes, the experiments done there were quite small-scale. We've come a long way since then."</p>
<p>Well, damn. He was impressed. He turned to ask a follow up question, pausing when he finally took in the man.</p>
<p>The man was about average height, and maybe would have been a bit taller were it not for his slight stoop. His heavy glasses reflected the overhead lights and obscured part of his face, and aside from a bit of hair on the sides of his head he's mostly bald. He's instantly familiar, and Gordon's mouth operated before he could think about it.</p>
<p>"Bubby??"</p>
<p>"...What?" the man asked, pushing his glasses up, and Gordon realized his error. He's different-- face a bit softer, hair not entirely white, lacking the ever-present aura Bubby had of 'Moderately Pissed Off'. The longer he looked the more differences he could pick out, although he's a little disappointed. Bubby was a total ass, but he was... well. It would have been kind of nice to see a familiar face.</p>
<p>Alyx cleared her throat, and Gordon realized he's been staring.</p>
<p>"Uh- sorry, sorry, you just remind me of someone from-- you know. My... uh?" he waved his hands vaguely, "...dimension?"</p>
<p>"Oh, of course," the man said, as if that was not a ridiculous thing to say, "But how fascinating-- another dimension so similar to our own, who could have predicted -- practically a parallel world! Another Black Mesa, another Gordon Freeman... the implications are staggering!"</p>
<p>"If you're both done fawning over each other," the man in blue snapped, "perhaps we can finally work on fixing <em>yet another</em> interdimensional mess caused by Freeman."</p>
<p>Gordon was surprised by the venom in the man's voice, finally turning his attention from the teleporter to look at him. The man in blue seemed just a smidge younger than not-Bubby; he was stockier, with salt and pepper hair and a widow's peak. His expression looked distinctly unamused, and he had the wrinkles to suggest that was his face's default state. Gordon realized that the reason not-Bubby seemed to lack the 'Moderately Pissed Off' aura was that this man had clearly taken it.</p>
<p>"Come now, Magnusson," not-Bubby responded, "the Black Mesa incident wasn't Gordon's fault--"</p>
<p>"And the Citadel?"</p>
<p>"That was hardly a <em>bad</em> thing--"</p>
<p>"All I'm saying is that Freeman seems to have a certain <em>knack</em> for this kind of trouble."</p>
<p>"Well..."</p>
<p>"Gordon," Alyx cut in smoothly, "These are Doctors Kleiner," she gestured to not-Bubby, "and Magnusson." After a moment, she pointed to Uriah, "And this is Uriah. He helps with the electronics work around here, and he's a bit of a rocketry whiz."</p>
<p>"Nice to... meet you?" Gordon said, deeply unsure of the niceness of this meeting.</p>
<p>"I'd say that I hope you don't carry all the bad luck of your counterpart, but somehow I imagine your presence here already contradicts that," Magnusson responded. Alyx rolled her eyes, though Gordon internally agreed with the sentiment.</p>
<p>"Gordon, based on what Alyx has told me I have complete confidence in you," Kleiner said, "I'm sure that with your expertise and our existing systems we'll be able to get to the root of the problem right away."</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>After a few days, it became apparent that they were not getting to the root of the problem right away.</p>
<p>Gordon sighed as he shoved another stack of papers aside, head hitting the table with a soft <em>thunk</em>. He glared at his illegible left-handed notes, hoping that maybe he could manifest some of Bubby's pyrotechnics to get them out of his sight. When the papers stubbornly did not spontaneously combust, he settled for shutting his eyes instead.</p>
<p>Magnusson and Kleiner were bickering in the next room, although he couldn’t make out what about. He could hear Magnusson's annoyed not-quite-yelling and Kleiner's placating tones as the two went back and forth. He debated going to see what the fuss was about, but given that Magnusson seemed about two days from biting off Gordon's other arm from his <em>'persistent meddling'</em>, he had no desire to intervene in their spat.</p>
<p>The notes that he was given make no sense. It wasn’t for lack of content; the papers made a small mountain of research on local teleportation, penned in the messy scrawls of quite a few different scientists. There were vague references to some kind of 'Borderworld', some kind of manifold crashing into itself, but no indication of what all that actually <em>was</em>. At first he had glossed over it, but it appeared again and again, equations meant to make use of some-- aspect of it, but with all the actual details scrubbed. His personal theories on it remained just that: theories, without the final pieces of information needed to see the whole picture.</p>
<p>It was some real Black Mesa level bullshit, giving him just enough to stay busy while keeping the actual story beyond his clearance. Or in this case, he thought with a huff as he finally pushed his head up from the desk, he presumed it was spoilers.</p>
<p>He gave up on the literature review as his annoyance finally got the better of him. The continued noise from the main room indicated the spat had no signs of stopping anytime soon and they didn't notice as he slipped out the door, although Uriah gave him a brief wave. The Vortigaunt (he mentally thanked Alyx for happening to mention what these guys were called) didn't even seemed phased by the argument occurring mere feet from him as he typed at one of the computers, and Gordon wondered in vague horror how long you had to be here before it finally stopped registering. He immediately decided that he didn't want to find out.</p>
<p>Gordon had technically been given full run of White Forest, even if he acknowledged it was maybe a bit of an absolutely terrible idea to wander around unattended lest someone try to actually talk to him. He was, however, going to go mad if he stayed in there any longer staring at nonsense equations, so he decided to put his approximate knowledge of the base to work to see if he could find Barney. He thought he'd heard it mentioned he'd worked at Black Mesa at some point, which meant he was almost certainly equipped to bitch about senior scientists.</p>
<p>He wandered back towards the more occupied hallways, nodding to people who passed by and trying to surreptitiously poke his head into rooms. Gordon knew Barney was usually somewhere in this area, although it was one thing to be led around and quite another to try and remember exactly which of the identical hallways they’d used. </p>
<p>To his absolute dismay, someone finally seemed to notice his plight.</p>
<p>"Looking for Calhoun, Dr. Freeman?"</p>
<p>Gordon froze. A woman a bit older than him had poked her head out of one of the rooms he had been inspecting through the door's window. So much for subtlety.</p>
<p>Gordon had no idea who the hell Calhoun was. While there was always the (slim) chance that it might be Barney's last name, he actually hadn't thought to ask. More likely, though, was that it was someone totally unrelated, in which case he definitely didn't want to find them, especially if they knew the other Freeman. But if he said 'no' then she might ask him what he was doing here, and while certainly not <em>everyone</em> in this base could know sign language it would really be his luck that she would. And then he'd have no idea how to respond, and-- right. <em>Answer her question, Gordon.</em></p>
<p>He nodded, really hoping that she wasn't going to try and lead him to this mystery person herself. Mercifully, she pointed in the vague direction of one of the hallways.</p>
<p>"Saw him pass through that way not too long ago."</p>
<p>He nodded again, and then realized he should probably thank her. After a moment of deliberation, he gave her an uncertain thumbs up. She returned it with a small smile.</p>
<p>Gordon didn't immediately start towards that direction, since he didn’t actually want to go find whoever she thought he was searching for, and was hoping she would duck back into the room so that he could resume his search. She had started to close the door, although when she realized he wasn't actually moving she paused, eyebrows knit in a slightly confused expression.</p>
<p>Hell. He was going to have to go down that hallway, wasn't he. Gordon turned towards it and started walking, deciding that he might as well try searching this area anyway before going back to where that woman had been. He did, however, silently hope that whoever the Calhoun at the end of this hallway was, he wouldn't notice him. The last thing he wanted was for someone to try and talk to him. Again. He was really hoping to get through this ordeal with as few conversations with people who weren't aware of who he was as possible.</p>
<p>The cement hallway gave way to what was... presumably a garage, assuming that Gordon was going to have a very charitable definition of what a car was. There were beat-up frames in various stages of completion, including what might have once been a nice yellow muscle car of some sort but which was now a stripped frame with a very large engine attached.</p>
<p>He was debating if the general order of the area was enough to keep it from being demoted from 'garage' to 'scrapheap' when someone called his name.</p>
<p>"Gordon! What're you doing all the way out here?" Barney said, turning away from the man he had been presumably talking to. Gordon gave him a sharp stare and a shrug, trying to seem nonchalant but hoping he was also radiating the 'don't actually engage me in conversation' that he was feeling.</p>
<p>Barney, seeming to realize the issue, gave a sheepish grin. He said something to the man he had been chatting with and handed off some sort of device before approaching Gordon.</p>
<p>"Hope you haven't been searching for me too long," he said, moving to leave in a silent invitation for Gordon to follow. "Had to run something from the engineering labs over here, and a walk sure beat what I <em>was</em> doing."</p>
<p>They passed by a few doors, Barney eventually opening one into what seems to be some sort of small... hybrid lounge/meeting room. Perhaps a meeting room that had been converted into a lounge? He closed the door behind them, the lock shutting with a soft click. Gordon raised a single eyebrow in question, to which Barney nodded.</p>
<p>"Finally, speech," Gordon said, dropping onto one of the (extremely raggedy) couches, "I don't-- how many people here can actually sign? Because I feel like that number is way higher than I want it to be."</p>
<p>"Probably so," Barney agreed, "silent communication is pretty useful for-- well. It's convenient, and lots of people've picked it up."</p>
<p>"I knew it," Gordon said mostly to himself, "I ran into a woman asking me if I was looking for this 'Calhoun' guy, and I'm just like <em>please</em>, for once, let my luck have this not become a conversation, and--"</p>
<p>Gordon trailed off when he realized that Barney looked extremely amused, mouth quirked like he's trying not to start laughing.</p>
<p>"Are you-- of course you're the Calhoun guy. That's the kind of coincidence that fits right into how goddamn weird this all is, apparently. God knows how many people live here, but she just guesses who I'm looking for?"</p>
<p>Barney settled into a chair and shrugged.</p>
<p>"Not like the search list would be long. Gordon-- our Gordon, that is-- isn't uh... very social."</p>
<p>Gordon's surprised to hear that, given just how much attention he seemed to gather just walking around. Although, he supposed that might be off-putting on its own to most people. It sure was to <em>him</em>, but he had partly chalked that up to being part of a not-inconsiderable charade and his own nervousness.</p>
<p>"Put off by everyone's stories?" he ventured, and Barney nodded, although he was frowning now.</p>
<p>"That's part of it," he agreed, "but... eh, let's just say he can have a bit of a hard time relating to everyone else. Different experiences, and all that."</p>
<p>Okay. Whatever the hell that meant. That statement hadn't really left any opening for further questions, though, so Gordon decided to get on with why he'd actually been seeking out Barney in the first place.</p>
<p>"So, what'd you need me for?" Barney asked, apparently thinking the same thing.</p>
<p>"You were a security guard at Black Mesa, right?" Gordon said, recalling something that Kleiner had mentioned offhandedly.</p>
<p>"Yes...?"</p>
<p>"Which means, assuming some similarities, that you are also a former world expert in bitching about scientists."</p>
<p>Barney barked out a laugh, clearly thrown by the question and followup. "Magnusson finally got to you, huh?"</p>
<p>"How is he so goddamn <em>frustrating</em>," Gordon said, a few days’ worth of irritation at the general situation preparing to shape up into a proper rant, "Did he take lessons? Did Black Mesa inject him with Liquid Spite? Just yesterday, he--"</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Barney sat easily in a chair as Gordon continued his rant. At some point it had shifted from being about Magnusson's (and occasionally Kleiner's) quirks and into the actual content of the research. Research which Barney had no hope in hell of understanding, but Gordon's frustration was obvious from the way his sentences became more clipped and the thoughts a bit more disjointed, like he was working through what, precisely, he was mad about in real-time.</p>
<p>"Sounds rough," Barney politely interjected, because he'd done this routine enough with his Gordon in the past to recognize venting when he saw it.</p>
<p>In fact, it was hard to not find this entire situation familiar, and for just a brief instant he was back at Black Mesa in a crap break room while Gordon complained about whatever passive aggressive slight a senior scientist had dealt him that day, or about how something was above his clearance, <em>again</em>. Seemed like some stuff never changed.</p>
<p>"Tell me about it," Gordon sighed, "and the worst part is that I can tell there's things missing, and I just – there’s all these references to some kind of Borderworld or whatever, but-- everything else about it's just been struck out."</p>
<p>The mention of the Borderworld was surprising enough to throw Barney out of his thoughts, and he tried very hard not to outwardly react to the mention of Xen. He supposed that it made sense it would be mentioned in the documents-- it was fundamental to how this all worked, from the very little of the science that he understood. But it seemed that, in their hurry to try and assemble something that would be useful to Gordon without telling him too much, they'd unintentionally left some glaring holes. Barney was glad he didn't have to take responsibility for that one, given that he had definitely not been in charge of preparing those papers.</p>
<p>Gordon was staring at him, clearly having been expecting some kind of response. Barney's attempted non-reaction had instead become an awkward silence. Shit.</p>
<p>"...You know what that is," Gordon said.</p>
<p>Play dumb, Calhoun.</p>
<p>"Nope," he replied easily, "sounds like some physics stuff that's way over my head, Doc."</p>
<p>Gordon's staring at him intently, mouth pulled into a tight frown.</p>
<p>"I think you <em>do</em> know," he pressed, "and-- goddamnit, how are we supposed to-- how are we going to figure this out if nobody fucking <em>tells me anything?</em>"</p>
<p>"Sorry, Gordon," he says, "If I could help you out with that, I would."</p>
<p>That wasn't a lie, at least; seeing frustration and anger on a face that was so familiar made guilt gnaw at him. Gordon tensed a bit like he was about to snap before he abruptly sighed, giving up the fight. Even though he looked defeated, it wasn’t enough for Barney to cave. His Gordon wasn't here, and while Barney couldn't do anything about that he could at least try and do something for the Gordon they had. He still couldn't shake the feeling that it would be unfair to drop all of <em>this</em> dimension's problems onto <em>this</em> Gordon. Even if it would make everything make more sense in the moment.</p>
<p>"Fine. Fine!" Gordon finally said, "None of you will tell me anything, that's-- I'll figure out this dimensional bullshit myself. Thanks for the chat."</p>
<p>With that, he brusquely stood up and left the room, Barney's concerned call falling on deaf ears.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Gordon hadn't forgotten what Alyx and Barney had told him. The Vortigaunts knew quite a bit about Gordon Freeman, about everything that seemed to go on at White Forest, and they all also seemed to already know who he actually was. Their silence proved them to be pretty good sports about this entire... situation, and they had kept quiet up to this point, so he hoped that they'd maybe keep a few questions under wraps as well.</p>
<p>He found his mark in the evening, just as frustrated as earlier as he awkwardly loitered near the medical wing until he saw Silas. The Vortigaunt spotted him instantly, waving in greeting.</p>
<p>"Ah, to what do we owe the pleasure of this encounter with the Freeman?" it asked, and Gordon glanced around, scanning the area for anybody else as he realized he didn't <em>exactly</em> think out how he might actually signal his intentions to Silas. "We are alone. The Freeman may speak freely." Gordon wasn't entirely sure how it knew that, but he decided to trust it.</p>
<p>"What can you tell me about the--" a frustrated wave of his hands, "the other Freeman? I keep getting the sense that there's something I'm missing, and the notes they gave me make no sense, there's all this stuff about the Borderworld and I just?" He broke off into a frustrated noise, Silas nodding as if it had expected this.</p>
<p>"It has not escaped our attention that the Alyx Vance and the Barney Calhoun wish to keep this from you," Silas said, and Gordon let out an irritated huff.</p>
<p>"I <em>know</em>, but-- it's related to their teleportation work. How can I help if I don't even know what kind of work they've been doing?"</p>
<p>"A noble sentiment. Is the Freeman so certain he is not driven by other motivations?"</p>
<p>He knew he probably had to keep an even tone to get Silas' cooperation, but his irritation and concern were starting to once again win out. It had not escaped his notice in the last few days precisely how strange White Forest was. He had initially brushed off the oddities as it being a similar place to Black Mesa, where employees lived and worked in the same facility. But... that didn't explain why everything seemed to be so worn down. It didn't explain why, despite having been given full run of the facility itself, he had been kindly but firmly told to not try and go outside, or why sometimes Alyx and Barney had to go on patrol somewhere. It didn't explain why even their research lab was using devices that looked like they'd been cobbled together from a dozen different other machines.</p>
<p>It was like they were hiding, making do with odds and ends they had scrounged up and keeping an eye out for-- something. For what, he didn't know. Not to mention everyone's adamant insistence that he learn nothing about what had happened since Black Mesa, and-- maybe his curiosity was starting to burn at him, but Gordon couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply <em>wrong</em>.</p>
<p>"Please, I just want to know what happened. Alyx and Barney will barely even let me go outside and this research -- it's not like it's answering any more of my questions! Half the shit they gave me isn't even about teleportation -- it's all in closing portals, in stopping things from... worming through or something. Black Mesa must have fucked things up here, but that doesn't explain all this."</p>
<p>Silas let out a grumbling, multi-layered sound that seemed <em>almost</em> like a sigh, and then waved its hand. "Very well. Follow, Freeman."</p>
<p>The Vortigaunt led him through White Forest's winding hallways, reminiscent of Black Mesa both in their apparent complete lack of forethought in layout and in their sheer blandness. Mercifully, they didn’t encounter anybody on their way. Eventually, they ended up in a kind of dormitory area, a few other of the aliens milling about and going about their own business.</p>
<p>"I have brought the Freeman," Silas announced, "Our wayward friend seeks answers about all that has occurred in these twenty long years."</p>
<p>Gordon was absolutely not prepared for the chorus of voices that responded to that, each Vortigaunt chiming in as if to express their personal approval of the situation.</p>
<p>"The Freeman..."</p>
<p>"Of course..."</p>
<p>"Ask, Freeman, and we shall answer..."</p>
<p>"Uh, okay, g-great," Gordon said, entirely too many aliens staring at him as he abruptly blanked on all the questions he'd been building up. Okay. Start small, and then work up to the bigger questions later.</p>
<p>"What's with you guys and Gordon Freeman, anyway?"</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>This, unfortunately, was not a simple question, nor was it a question with a short answer. Gordon didn't even know where to <em>begin</em> with all that, although he supposed this time he had nobody to blame but himself. Maybe Barney had just been insistent about the spoilers because it was confusing.</p>
<p>"So-- okay, let me just get this straight. You guys were <em>slaves</em> and Gordon Freeman, what, showed up on your alien homeworld and freed you guys? Wh-- how? All on his own?" How did that even work. <em>How</em> did that even work.</p>
<p>"The Freeman had several allies on his journey," one Vortigaunt piped up, although that didn't really answer any of Gordon's questions.</p>
<p>"Indeed," said another, "Yet we remain indebted to Freeman, for it is he who dealt the final blow to the Nihilanth and assured our freedom."</p>
<p>"Oh....kay," Gordon said, "Wait. The Nihi--what?"</p>
<p>"The Nihilanth," one of the Vortigaunts repeated, the word spat out like it was particularly distasteful, "A being who exerted its influence on... all of Xen's creatures."</p>
<p>"Though it did not cause the rupture that first combined our world with this one, it was by its hand that such a tear remained... Until the Freeman arrived."</p>
<p>"So it's-- some kind of big powerful alien? That can mess up reality?" That sounded really bad. "Are you sure there was only one?"</p>
<p>"Like many less fortunate things that slip through the boundaries into Xen... it was the last of its kind. No doubt the Combine had pursued it to the very end."</p>
<p>Oh. Well it was a relief to know there was only one. But wait-- "...the Combine?"</p>
<p>"Is the Freeman certain he wishes to know of all the sorrows of this world?" one of the Vortigaunts rumbled.</p>
<p>No. He wasn't even remotely certain, and that warning sounded nothing short of fucking ominous.</p>
<p>"Yes," is what he said instead, of course, because curiosity had overridden his common sense. If he had thought he was unprepared for the first story, he was absolutely not ready for the second.</p>
<p>Several hours later found Gordon back in what had become his room, taken over from his counterpart. He had no idea what time it was other than 'ungodly late', but the words of the Vortigaunts-- as hard to follow as they had been at times-- occupied his thoughts.</p>
<p>Apparently, despite the efforts of this world's space-god-slaying Freeman, the incident at Black Mesa had only been the beginning. On its heels had come first the Storms, the random teleportation of aliens stretching out from New Mexico to just about everywhere. With the main causes of the rift already corrected at Black Mesa and in Xen, there was little humanity could do except try to wait it out.</p>
<p>Then had come the Combine and apparently everything had very quickly gone to shit. The Vortigaunts had somehow been even more elusive in their answers here than they normally were, but he had caught the jist. Second alien invasion. It had been bad. And wherever they were, holed up in a decaying missile silo, this was kinda all that was left.</p>
<p>It made everything fall into place in a weird way, and it was also terrifying. He had-- he had been relying on the idea that Black Mesa would be the end of it. The Science Team would get out of there, he'd go home, and maybe eventually after like eighteen years of therapy he'd be okay with everything that had happened. It hadn’t occurred to him - he hadn't even been able to consider the idea - that it might keep going. And going. And going.</p>
<p>At some point in his minor panic, Gordon realized something. He'd been so distracted by the whole revelation of a <em>second alien invasion</em> that the Vortigaunt's description of the... Nihilanth had kind of slipped past him. Big, powerful creature. Wasn't human. Spat in the face of the laws of the universe. The Vortigaunts had said that there was only one of them and had seemed confident in this fact, but this was a different dimension to his own, wasn't it? With a growing sense of horror, Gordon realized he knew of another creature that fit that description, who had been around since the first second of hell that had started at Black Mesa.</p>
<p>Oh, <em>fuck</em>.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>A pleasure to meet you?</p>
<p>That... didn't sound good. Or right. Gordon tried to examine the man closer, to see if he could pick out any minute difference, but everything seemed the same down to the tie that he's idly adjusting. And if they'd never met... oh, <em>no</em>. There were two of them, weren't there. And somehow Gordon had managed to attract his attention, again.</p>
<p>"I thought it wise to... have a little <em>meeting</em>, that your... predecessor might understand the predicament he was in, and so despite this complication... I will do the same-- for you.</p>
<p>"Despite whatever inter<em>ference</em> may have brought you here, Doctor Freeman, you have taken up your role... most admirably. I must admit-- I have minimal concern for... precisely, which, Freeman accomplishes this task... provided it is completed. But I have a vested <em>interest</em> in ensuring your success. To that end, you have the full attention of-- and, should it be necessary, the assistance of-- both myself and my <em>associates</em>."</p>
<p>Gordon was pretty sure he didn't want to see what assistance from this man would look like, and he was doubly sure he didn't want it from his associates.</p>
<p>"But, given your demonstrated skill... I doubt, it will come to that," the man continued, "You have quite the journey ahead of you, Doctor Freeman, and I am sure that-- it will only grow more difficult from here, but... if I may place one more <em>minor</em> imposition upon you... I ask that, you make <em>sure</em>, that no harm comes to my... progeny, hm?"</p>
<p>What?</p>
<p>The man fixed Gordon with a sharp stare for just a moment before he vanished as easily as he'd appeared, sound snapping back in and life creeping back into the facility by degrees. The distant hum of machinery felt like a dull roar as it resumed all at once and Benrey resumed his idle tapping against the table. At some point, his eyes had shifted from the stars to Gordon, staring intently.</p>
<p>"Pretty freaky," Benrey quietly said, and Gordon started. Surely he hadn't-- "... the planes. Sounds like they're, uh-- getting closer. Yeah."</p>
<p>Right. Gordon tried to focus on the sound, and it did in fact seem a bit closer than it had been a few hours ago. That made sense, since they would have presumably been focusing initially on the far-off epicenter of Sector C and perhaps only now directing their attention to the rest of the facility.</p>
<p>He could see the vague light of an impending sunrise, but the air strikes still seemed far enough away to not be an immediate threat. In the dark of early morning their group would have the disadvantage in spotting aliens or, more worryingly, troops. Gordon decided that a bit more time here wouldn't hurt and made no movement to rouse the sleeping Science Team. Benrey seemed to have been merely making an observation, as he made no movement either.</p>
<p>Relative calm once again restored, Gordon had time to ponder what, precisely, he had just been told. As usual, the answer was not much. There was another man in a suit, which was bad, and he had taken an interest in him, which was way worse. He wondered, vaguely, if the two men would argue over him should they ever meet. Despite himself he lets out a breathy laugh at the idea. Perhaps they could get embroiled in time-bending contract law for a few hundred years, and Gordon could be done with it.</p>
<p>More importantly, however, was the man's final comment. Progeny? That raised about three hundred questions Gordon hoped he never had an answer to, but-- if it was a request, there was a good chance Gordon would meet whoever they were soon, or already had. If it was a request, it meant that for whatever reason the man couldn't just pluck them out of Black Mesa as he was wont to do. It implied some reliance. It implied just a little control over the situation. For the first time potentially <em>ever</em>, Gordon might have had a hand up over the man in the suit. He just had to... figure out whoever they were.</p>
<p>The idea of using someone (whoever they may be) as some kind of bargaining chip didn't quite sit right, but. When he had been dropped here by the man from his world, he had assumed that his brief reprieve at White Forest was over and he'd just... never get to go back. He'd been pushing down the idea of never seeing Alyx again, or Barney, or, hell, even <em>Magnusson</em>. Now... perhaps he'd be able to make some kind of deal. Maybe he <em>could</em> go back. After all, who better to fend off the man in the suit than himself?</p>
<p>It was certainly a better goal to work towards than simply going through the motions of Black Mesa again. The first time had been a hell he had never hoped to match, and the second time wasn't shaping up to be any better. The thought that there might be something at the end other than that tram in an inky void-- Gordon grabbed onto the thought like a life preserver in the sea.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>The early morning sun was filtering through the skylights. The Science Team was preparing for another day, Tommy having wandered off to check out a break room that they had passed the night before.</p>
<p>"I estimate that it's only ten more hours to the Lambda Labs!" Dr. Coomer said.</p>
<p>"That's what you said yesterday," Bubby responded.</p>
<p>"I estimate that it's only eleven more hours to the Lambda Labs," Dr. Coomer corrected, giving Bubby a pleasant smile that caused the other to roll his eyes.</p>
<p>"I-I'm back," Tommy said as he reappeared, arms full of a ridiculous amount of soda cans and a few bags of chips. He dropped the pile onto the desk Benrey had yet to stand up from with minimal fanfare. Dr. Coomer and Bubby descended on the pile of soda, Benrey pulling out and inspecting one of the chip bags as Tommy picked up a can and held it out to Gordon. "Uhm. Breakfast? It'll help you."</p>
<p>Gordon was pretty dubious as to how it would help, but he supposed that options for food and drink in Black Mesa were pretty slim and took the can from Tommy with a nod of thanks. It was aggressively sweet in the unique way that off-brand soda seemed to be, and he grimaced a bit at the taste. This didn't seem to be off-putting to anybody else, as the rest of his companions attacked the pile of soda and junk food with a gusto that was... almost impressive? </p>
<p>Assuming... well, assuming a lot of things about the consistency of Black Mesa across dimensions, these labs should connect back into the outer canals that ran through much of the compound. A lot of this area had blended together, his memories a mess of the pounding sun and the stench of the stagnant water interspersed with periodic flurries of gunfire and running.</p>
<p>He sized up the group, trying to determine how this might go. They'd handled some of the smaller squads of soldiers they'd encountered easily enough and certainly seemed to be inclined towards violence, but--</p>
<p>...oh. Right. They couldn't really die, could they? He supposed that significantly simplified their planning.</p>
<p>"What's the matter, Mr. Freeman?" Tommy asked, having been drinking his own soda but turning to look at him, "You've barely touched your soda."</p>
<p>"...I think we're about to hit some trouble," was what he finally replied with after a moment, appreciating the way Tommy focused intently on the Voice to understand him, "and I was wondering if you'd all be... alright."</p>
<p>"Oh! Don't worry about us, Mr. Freeman," Tommy said, giving him a smile, "We've been doing just fine against-- the aliens, and the military, and-and all the weird stuff. We were even protecting the other Mr. Freeman, before you showed up."</p>
<p>His smile faded as Tommy nervously played with the tab on his soda, looking down at the can like it could tell him what had happened to their friend.</p>
<p>"I hope he's alright. He... wasn't. When. He was-- when he vanished."</p>
<p>Gordon didn't really know how to respond to that, because he could think of very few good things that might have happened to his counterpart, so he simply stayed quiet. Eventually, the tab of the soda can snapped off, the soft click of metal seeming to take Tommy out of whatever he'd been thinking about.</p>
<p>"Well-- we should get going! Gotta greet the day like a songbird greets the sun, right?"</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>As he'd thought, the tunnels leading from the bio labs eventually brought them into the canal network that fed through the older areas of Black Mesa. The canals had the perk of being partially covered, which meant they could occasionally escape the heat of the spiteful New Mexico sun. The downside to this, in Gordon's original estimation, had been 'basically nothing'. Neither the marines nor the Xen forces seemed inclined to set up in the water for... obvious reasons, and the depth of the canals kept them out of sight of most surface groups.</p>
<p>The only concern had been barnacles, and though they were common around water they were also stationary, not to mention it was mid-morning. Not exactly peak time for an ambush predator.</p>
<p>So Gordon had written off the risk as negligible, although his companions were currently doing everything in their power to make him regret it.</p>
<p>He was currently clinging tightly to Dr. Coomer's feet as Tommy unloaded a frankly ridiculous number of bullets into the barnacle above them. Here, where the roof of the canal was low, the thing's teeth were just a little <em>too</em> close for comfort. Gordon was fighting against the barnacle's tongue with all of the entire considerable weight of the HEV suit, the creature letting out a squeaky grumble as it failed to pull up Dr. Coomer.</p>
<p>"Help me, Gordon!" Dr. Coomer said, as if Gordon was not trying to literally drag him away from certain death. The Barnacle let out a pained squelching squeal as Tommy's rapid-fire seemed to finally do the trick and the tongue wrapped around the scientist went slack. Gordon grimaced as the alien threw up its previous meal onto them with its death, although he supposed that at least they were surrounded by water that could clean off... most of the gore.</p>
<p>"Excellent shooting, Gordon!"</p>
<p>Gordon raised a single eyebrow and pointed at Tommy, who looked up from reloading his gun to give them a sheepish smile.</p>
<p>"I, uh-- I'm the one who got it, Doctor Coomer."</p>
<p>Gordon looked up at the Barnacle, which appeared to be more bullet hole than creature at this point, and nodded.</p>
<p>"Excellent shooting, Tommy!" Dr. Coomer said.</p>
<p>This was not the first time this had happened today, and it made no more sense to Gordon the <em>third</em> time than it had the first. It wasn't like-- the main body of the creature was right there, the low sun highlighting its red skin and sharp teeth. Some of them were low enough that they had to walk around their bodies. At this point, Gordon was-- just confused. Not that he hadn't been some form of confused since he had first arrived, but Dr. Coomer's complete faith that any hanging object might be a rope was quickly shifting from 'irritating' to 'somewhat concerning'.</p>
<p>"If only we could use these ropes to traverse pits," Dr. Coomer said as he looked up at what had been a barnacle.</p>
<p>"Wuh-- What happened to the one you had, Doctor Coomer?" Tommy asked, and Dr. Coomer shook his head.</p>
<p>"I'm afraid it passed not too long after I obtained it. It would seem that these ropes deteriorate fairly quickly when not anchored to some surface."</p>
<p>"I'm... sorry?" Gordon asked, "You took a barnacle... <em>down</em>?"</p>
<p>At this point he was used to the slightly choking feeling of the Voice, and the humming sound around him is only mildly disconcerting. Quite frankly, he was more interested in the idea that someone would bother to take a barnacle off of a surface during everything happening at Black Mesa. He'd been part of a few cleanup teams at White Forest as they tried to renovate some of the surrounding buildings for more people to live in, and the things practically welded themselves to any porous surface they could. Tommy was silent for a moment as he read the color and tones.</p>
<p>"O-oh, yeah! I guess that was before-- anyway, Doctor Coomer got one of them down, and he used it to climb some pits and things. You can, uh-- you can make them grab things, if you can get them off the ceilings and stuff, but I guess that's not very good for them..."</p>
<p>"They're an invasive species anyway, who cares," Bubby complained from a distance, poking his head around a corner from further down the canal, "Are we going to keep talking about the stupid aliens, or are we going to <em>get going</em>?"</p>
<p>"Right. Onwards!" Dr. Coomer said cheerily, taking off after Bubby. After a moment, Gordon heard a faint, "Look, Bubby! A rope! We can--"</p>
<p>He had already started sprinting by the time he heard the "Help me, Gordon!" echo from around the corner.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Eventually (and, for Gordon's nerves, somewhat fortunately) they ran out of canals, the ever-approaching airstrikes replacing their watery path with collapsed buildings and forcing them up into a section of Black Mesa that had definitely seen better days. Those better days probably having been a week ago.</p>
<p>The Science Team hid behind a small outcropping of rocks as they watched a platoon of soldiers in the distance set up a choke point. They were stacking sandbags up around the edges of the road, a large tank sitting menacingly in the middle. The canyon walls that surrounded many of the roads in Black Mesa forced anybody approaching down to their position.</p>
<p>"Shouldn't we get out of here before they finish setting up whatever it is they're doing?" Bubby asked, Dr. Coomer poking his head out from behind their small cover to consider the scene.</p>
<p>"I believe we have another thirty minutes before they complete their fortifications," he confidently said, "However, our chances of survival will surely grow slimmer the longer we wait."</p>
<p>As much as Gordon would have liked them to just 'get out of here', there seemed to be no immediate way to go that wasn't straight into the roadblock. <em>Past</em> the tank were several buildings, most of which even appeared to still have all of their walls intact, but. Again. Tank. The way they'd come hadn't been any more promising, collapsed tunnels and bombed-out buildings having funneled them towards this point in the first place.</p>
<p>They'd been bouncing ideas back and forth for a bit, although Gordon definitely wasn't sold on Dr. Coomer's suggestion that he punch the tank, and Bubby's three suggestions had all been some form of infeasible arson. Tommy had suggested that they might luck out by backtracking and looking for heavier weaponry, and Benrey... had vanished at some point. It wasn't the first time that had happened today, and when Gordon had mentioned it he had gotten a vague answer from the Science Team that sometimes that just happened, so he wasn't <em>especially</em> concerned.</p>
<p>Suddenly a low hum filled the air, the group going quiet as their attention was drawn above them. The hum grew to a roar, and they tensed slightly as they waited for another jet to pass overhead.</p>
<p>The creature that appeared overhead was certainly not a fighter jet, but instead appeared similar to a manta ray in shape. Its tail undulated like it was swimming through the air currents, and a gleaming blue carapace caught the sun as it approached. Its belly was a bright yellow-orange, and Gordon pulled Bubby and Dr. Coomer back against the rock as a bright light gathered underneath it.</p>
<p>"What the hell--" Bubby started to snap, cut off by the harsh <em>crack</em> of a beam erupting from the manta ray, the light cutting slicing through the asphalt as it approached the tank. The tank attempted to back up, but the ray was far faster, and it burst apart as the beam touched it. </p>
<p>Silence from their hiding spot, but the soldiers below who hadn't been obliterated by the beam or the tank exploding had scattered into disorganized yelling.</p>
<p>"Most convenient," Dr. Coomer said, hopping up from where he had been sitting, "It seems that our small issue has resolved itself."</p>
<p>"Uh, guys," Tommy said, pointing to where a few additional ray-like creatures were approaching from the opposite direction, coming up from behind their hiding spot. Unlike the first one they were a bit smaller, their wings twitching as they slowed and slipped down between the rocks to glide just above the road. There was the blinding flash of something teleporting in, and one of the large armored aliens dropped down. And then another. And then a few more, just for good measure. Their attention may have been initially drawn to the flaming pile of tank wreckage, but after a moment they were focused on the much closer group.</p>
<p>"Okay new plan: run!" Bubby said, pulling his gun to bear as he vaulted over the rock. The rest of the group needed no further encouragement, Tommy firing wildly behind them as they made a dash towards the former military fortification. The aliens opened fire, the angry buzzing of their bee-like projectiles chasing them. Ahead of them the marines shouted as they tried to get back into some semblance of order to deal with the fact that Freeman and friends had suddenly appeared. Between the indiscriminate targeting of the large bees and the fact that Gordon and Bubby were firing at anybody that showed their head up above the remaining cover, they weren't quite succeeding.</p>
<p>The ground shook beneath them as the small army of aliens gave chase, the Science Team pushing their way forward. Despite their large size the aliens were uncomfortably fast, the sound of their stomping getting closer with each moment. When they reached the wall of sandbags Dr. Coomer shoved a marine aside who had popped up to try and surprise them, the man slamming into the ground with an alarming sound.</p>
<p>"Good luck, boot boys!" Dr. Coomer shouted as they dashed past. The aliens plowed through the sandbags right after them, and the marines suddenly had their hands full with a much worse problem than the scientists. Their gunfire distracted the aliens, and it seemed for a moment that they might actually have been forgotten about in the ensuing chaos.</p>
<p>Not that the building they were running towards at full tilt seemed any more promising. Gordon grimaced when he saw a flash of green light from one of the upper windows. They rushed through a metal door, slamming it closed with a heavy thud. Dr. Coomer hefted up a nearby desk with ease, shoving it in front of the way they'd come.</p>
<p>"There," Dr. Coomer said authoritatively, "Nobody's getting in <em>that</em> way."</p>
<p>It was when they paused to catch their breath that they heard it: distantly, the loud hum followed by a violent spark, just disordered enough to suggest there was no mechanical cause behind it. When that faded, they could hear low, tonal sounds.</p>
<p>Vortigaunts.</p>
<p>"More creatures," Tommy said quietly, staring up at the ceiling like they might drop through it at any moment. Given everything else, it wasn't that unreasonable of an assumption.</p>
<p>"It seems they haven't yet noticed us," Dr. Coomer said, "perhaps we can use this to our advantage."</p>
<p>"Let's fuck 'em up, then!" Bubby said.</p>
<p>"Wait," Gordon said, and it's an uncertain, wavering tone instead of the steady hum he's become used to. He's met with three sets of incredulous stares.</p>
<p>"What <em>now</em>?" Bubby snapped.</p>
<p>Gordon faltered. He knew, of course, that they couldn't avoid all the Vortigaunts in Black Mesa-- there were just too many, really, and no amount of hesitation on his part was going to stop the Vortigaunts themselves from attacking. But-- knowing what he knew now, about who they actually were, he was reluctant to start fights unless they actually had to.</p>
<p>He starts and stops a few times, hands waffling slightly as he tries to figure out precisely how to phrase this thought without having to go into an in-depth discussion of what the Vortigaunts were and social structures on Xen, which the group would definitely ignore. Despite his own trouble in forming a coherent phrase something catches in his throat, and there's a bright green light with the distinctly fake taste of green apple candy. Caught off guard, Gordon... tries to think of something that rhymes with green.</p>
<p>"Green means... they're not mean?" Tommy said, half comment and half question. Well. Lacking in nuance though it may have been, Gordon supposed it got to the heart of what he'd been trying to say. He nodded.</p>
<p>"Gordon, I'm not sure if you've noticed," Dr. Coomer said, "but these creatures are quite unfriendly! You may have forgotten, but we just narrowly evaded a swarm of their bees."</p>
<p>"Yeah, Mr. Freeman, they seem pretty mean to me." Tommy added.</p>
<p>"You have uh, feeling bad?" Benrey interjected, having abruptly rejoined them by appearing on the table-turned-barricade. This was-- also not the first time he'd done this today, although it was a bit more unnerving to Gordon than when he just vanished. He leaned in just a bit too close for comfort. "New Freeman seems a bit-- bit soft. Bit scared."</p>
<p>Gordon shook his head, "They don't have any choice," he tried to explain. The color tasted particularly bitter, a deep red that transitioned to a shifting blue.</p>
<p>"Crimson to shifting blues means... they can't choose?" Tommy said.</p>
<p>"Are you implying," Dr. Coomer said, "that they're being forced somehow?"</p>
<p>He nodded.</p>
<p>"So what?" Bubby said, "They're still between us and the Lambda Labs, it's not like we have a lot of options."</p>
<p>"Yeah, Freeman," Benrey said, "Not a lot of choice in the matter, is there? For-- For us, either."</p>
<p>"Well, do you have another suggestion, Gordon?" Dr. Coomer asked.</p>
<p>Gordon decided that perhaps this idea didn't need two layers of translation, and very slowly walked two of his fingers across the palm of his other hand.</p>
<p>"Whu-- Sneaking? What the hell?" Benrey asked, "You really are the lame Freeman. Who plays stealth mode. Nobody."</p>
<p>"Doesn't want to shoot <em>scientists</em>, doesn't want to shoot <em>aliens</em>, this guy's way worse than Old Gordon," Bubby grumbled loudly.</p>
<p>"At least he's enthusiastic about destroying the entire military, Bubby," Dr. Coomer responded.</p>
<p>"Well, that's true. At least he has that going for him."</p>
<p>"Are you sure, Mr. Freeman?" Tommy said, "If... If they find us first, we'll be the ones surprised."</p>
<p>He thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. It'd be wise for the team to pick and choose their battles as they got closer to the Lambda Complex anyway, given that it was likely to be overrun with both military and aliens by the time they got there.</p>
<p>"Well, all ideas are worth at least one attempt, even if they seem like bad ones," Dr. Coomer agreed, Gordon raising a single eyebrow at the man who not twenty minutes ago had claimed he would wrestle a tank.</p>
<p>"O-okay. If they're upstairs, we hopefully won't need to see them to get out of here and back to the road, right?" Tommy asked.</p>
<p>That was at least theoretically true; the road they had just been running along had widened into some kind of office park when it reached the cluster of buildings, and just beyond that there had been a metal blast door that likely led back into the facility proper. If they could get back outside, they could stick to the shadows of the buildings and make their way in without having to pick a fight with whoever remained from the marine vs. alien scuffle that they'd just bailed on. It seemed like it'd be a bit difficult to get all five of them through without being spotted, but it was worth a try.</p>
<p>They managed to pick their way through the lowest floor with a level of care that Gordon honestly wasn't expecting from the same people who had raced into every single barnacle between the bio labs and here. Unfortunately, someone unknown scientist had had the genius idea to barricade the back exit, and they had been significantly more thorough about it than their group had been about the front door.</p>
<p>"This would take a while to move," Tommy said.</p>
<p>"Perhaps there is a fire exit on the upper level," Dr. Coomer suggested.</p>
<p>Gordon started to respond, but an abrupt tug on his arm from Benrey stopped him when he lifted his free hand. The guard was staring up at the ceiling, eyes searching.</p>
<p>"If baby Freeman wants to sneak, you-- they'll hear your vibes. Too close. Idiot."</p>
<p>Gordon wasn't entirely sure that was how that worked, but Benrey seemed unusually intent and he supposed that it would make sense if the Vortigaunts could sense other people messing with the Vortessence nearby. He filed it away as another question to ask one of the Vortigaunts when he got back to White Forest. He nodded, Benrey finally releasing his hand.</p>
<p>"Good. At least you listen more than old Freeman."</p>
<p>Their search for a way up eventually led to a basic door and equally nondescript set of stairs.</p>
<p>"What do you think happened to the person who made that barricade?" Tommy asked as they walked up to the next level.</p>
<p>"Eaten by aliens," Bubby said factually, "or maybe eaten by the little crabs, and now is eating other scientists. Hard to say."</p>
<p>Gordon gave a shrug, because Bubby was probably right. Barricades didn't work very well when the aliens were randomly teleporting into buildings. The probable answer to Tommy's question came at the top of the stairs when something latched onto his legs. The man teetered dangerously, a zombie having snagged his ankles with one long hand. The other was reaching up, sharp claws preparing for a swipe.</p>
<p>"Tommy!" Dr. Coomer yelped, squaring his body where he stood just behind him on the stairs, "I'll catch you!"</p>
<p>A few quick shots from Bubby took care of it easily enough, but the sound of the scuffle echoed painfully in the empty stairwell. Just beyond the door, the soft tones of the Vortigaunts had gone quiet.</p>
<p>"Well," Bubby said after a moment, quickly reloading the handgun, "we tried."</p>
<p>It was then that the door exploded off its hinges in a flash of green.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"Tommy."</p>
<p>The scientist stiffened slightly at the low sound of his name, turning back to look at Benrey. The security guard was sitting on the hood of an abandoned security car, the rest of the group distracted and taking a brief break after another sprinting session. The few Vortigaunts hadn't been an issue, but the sound of gunfire had attracted the attention of the larger aliens outside (who had, both as expected but also somewhat unfortunately, won their fight with the military). Their plan for an easy path back into the facility had therefore become a second mad dash, and while there weren't any real injuries to show they had decided to take a moment to regroup. Mr. Freeman was leaning against a wall, watching Bubby and Dr. Coomer as they tormented one of the bee projectile creatures. It'd been unlucky enough to try and cling to Bubby's lab coat, and though the man had shouted until Dr. Coomer plucked it off they were now both conducting... what might be extremely generously considered science. If you considered trying to light it on fire a type of science.</p>
<p>"Tommy."</p>
<p>Oh, right. Benrey had been trying to get his attention.</p>
<p>"Yeah?" he asked, sitting down next to Benrey and noticing that he was staring at Mr. Freeman. Benrey canted his head to the side, just slightly.</p>
<p>"We got, uh-- illegal mods. That shit ain't Nintendo first-party, dude, gonna brick the system and then we won't be able to play-- uh, Tetris. Or Punch Out. Spyro."</p>
<p>Tommy frowned, "Spyro wasn't-- that wasn't a Nintendo game."</p>
<p>"Huh? That's not gonna change, uh-- gonna get VAC banned, man. Not good at all."</p>
<p>A bit of the Voice slipped past at the end of that thought. A low pulsing hum, the color of an angry sea. <em>Something's not as it should be.</em></p>
<p>Mr. Freeman was the only one who reacted to the sound, giving them both a curious look for a moment before there was a crackle of fire as the bee finally caught alight, his attention abruptly drawn back to the other two members of their group as Bubby let out a whoop in victory.</p>
<p>"Why-- uh, why are you telling me?" he finally asked, although given the way Benrey had shifted his intense stare to him Tommy thought he already knew.</p>
<p>"Can't get any cheevos with mods," Benrey replied, his gaze sliding back to the rest of the group, "You said he's from-- uh, somewhere else. How do you know?"</p>
<p>"We figured it out," Tommy said, "When he, uh-- I mean, he's pretty different, right? He's not-- <em>our</em> Mr. Freeman."</p>
<p>"Could be some jank clone. Fucked up prototype."</p>
<p>"I-I mean, I don't think..."</p>
<p>"Put it back," Benrey finally said, his hands reaching down to pluck at the fabric of his pants, "I got, uh, I got a great ideas, gonna have-- gonna have an awesome time with Freeman, you know? Been working on all that friendship, on the uh, great cool twists, gonna make a total win for him, and now--" a low, soft sound, the color that frustrated blue-grey again, "Gotta. Terrible Vibesman, doesn't-- all soft, and uh. Feelin bad for the aliens? Feelin bad for the-- for the little vonneguts? Totally lame. No good emotional arcs there."</p>
<p>"I mean, this Mr. Freeman... I think he's just nice?" he said, and Benrey curled his lip slightly in distaste.</p>
<p>"Thats-- super lame, Tommy. Can't be feeling bad for the uh-- for the bad guys. Makes the finale all mopey, just some lame sad shit, it's totally not-- not GOTY material. Sad stories are out this year. Epic rivalries are in."</p>
<p>"Maybe you... don't have to do the epic rivalry. You've been pretty cold to the new Mr. Freeman, since you won't read his Sweet Voice and all, but maybe he c-could. Help."</p>
<p>"Why are you so-- try, try and change it all, dude? Why are you changing my business? You heard Freeman earlier." A low, shifting hum. Crimson to a mix of blues.</p>
<p>"Maybe there's some other option, if you don't want things to end like that," Tommy said, putting a hand on Benrey's shoulder. Benrey only let it sit there for a moment before he shrugged it off, now staring intently at the floor.</p>
<p>"Gotta. S'what our Freeman's been angling for, since he doesn't <em>listen</em>. We both know-- pro friends to enemies speedrun. Chomping at the bit for, uh-- for a big bad."</p>
<p>"I think that if our Mr. Freeman had understood, he wouldn't have-- I think you could have been friends. Like, actual friends, and not... whatever you two have going on right now," Tommy continued, "And besides... you thought you knew how this was all going to go, but you couldn't have known that the new Mr. Freeman would show up! Right? So you can't say that you already know what'll happen!"</p>
<p>"....stop," Benrey eventually said, "Just. Put it back? Fix it back please?"</p>
<p>"I can't," Tommy replied, "I don't-- I can't. Do that. But! Maybe we'll find someone who can," he said, Benrey finally looking up to meet his gaze, "And, uh, maybe, you could try and be nicer to the new Mr. Freeman, in the meantime? He's a lot like the old one, and maybe he'll. You know. It's practice."</p>
<p>"Replacing the old Freeman like that, Tommy? Harsh, man," Benrey said, "...but. Maybe. I guess."</p>
<p>"You could at least talk to him," Tommy said, "Ignoring him isn't very nice."</p>
<p>"...Something off about him. I don't like it." There was a quiet hum, the color a deep purple to the green of a fern. <em>I want the other to return.</em> Tommy pulled his legs up onto the car so that he could wrap his arms around his knees.</p>
<p>"I-I... me too."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I can't remember if bubby being like. AU Feral Kleiner is word of god pseudo-canon or just a headcanon I saw around but its truly the funniest goddamn idea.</p>
<p>Anyway who wanted a long chapter yeehaw I hope y'all enjoyed. As always, thank you to everyone who leaves comments! They really help inspire me to keep going, and I'm delighted to hear you all enjoy the story. Even if I don't respond to them all know that I'm looking at them and crying ;_; I hope this chapter satisfied as well! (and everyone send love to my beta who got this back to me really fast despite it being like 10k of nonsense to edit, haha)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Understanding</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gordon had never been particularly good at dealing with stress or frustration. This held true during all the shit at Black Mesa, and it was proving true now. His series of revelations hadn't really done anything to improve his position-- it wasn't like he could really act on anything he'd learned, after all. At least at Black Mesa he had been able to channel his frustration into an angry, desperate determination to survive. Here, with no immediate peril, it simply simmered.</p><p>He had decided to blame Benrey for his current predicament, though. It seemed there were few other creatures that could have shoved him out of his dimension, and while Gordon wasn't entirely sure <em>why</em> he would have done it, that. Wasn't really any different from how he didn't understand anything else Benrey did. Blaming Benrey was almost enough of a distraction that he could forget that apparently everyone around him had conspired to hide <em>another apocalypse</em> from him.</p><p>Barney was walking Gordon down to the labs that morning. He and Alyx typically traded off the 'keep people away from Gordon Freeman' responsibility, so he assumed that his appearance two days in a row was due to their less-than-amiable parting the afternoon before.</p><p>Of course, he seemed a bit unsure where to start, and with Gordon's mandatory silence in the busy halls it wasn't like he was going to be one initiating anything.</p><p>The things that before had simply been odd now stood out more sharply -- the flaking paint, the ancient supplies. Even the scar on Barney's cheek and the smattering of smaller past injuries on his hands brought up new questions. Had he gotten those during Black Mesa? In the <em>twenty years</em> of what followed?</p><p>It wasn't like what had happened was Barney's fault, but it <em>was</em> his fault that nobody had told him, having been the one to first fuss about the concept of spoilers. Alyx shared some blame for going along with it. And wasn't it-- wasn't it too big to keep under wraps? Had they really expected to just keep him completely in the dark for as long as it took him to get home? What if that took months? <em>Longer?</em> Would they have simply strung it out until there was no possible way they could deny it?</p><p>Everyone had been very insistent he didn't learn anything, and he hadn't been able to let it lie. He'd been convinced that something was strange about this place, although he'd been more expecting that it was secretly a weird cult or something. The truth was much worse, and now it was <em>all he could think about</em>.</p><p>The elevator, as always, provided a brief moment of privacy and quiet. Gordon definitely did not want that in this moment, but Barney sighed and filled the silence anyway.</p><p>"Look, Gordon," Barney said, "about yesterday..."</p><p>"It's fine," Gordon said tersely. He didn't want to talk about it, because if he got started he was pretty sure he'd say something he shouldn't.</p><p>"You know we're all-- we're just trying to help you, yeah?" he continued, and he just sounded so damn sincere that somehow it just made him more annoyed.</p><p>"Funny way of showing it," he replied.</p><p>Barney's expression shifted to a slightly concerned frown.</p><p>"Aw, c'mon," Barney said, "don't be that way. Is there anything that I can do?"</p><p>"You know what you can do!" he finally said, "You know, but you've-- decided not to! So don't-- don't do whatever this is," he said, attempting to capture the entire concept of the conversation in a wave of his hands.</p><p>Whatever Barney was going to say in response was cut off by the elevator as it ground to a stop, awkward silence descending with twice the intensity it'd had before in the short walk to the lab. There wasn't even anybody else down here, which made the silence suffocating.</p><p>"Gordon," Barney said, slouching against the wall as the door to the lab opened, "just trust us?"</p><p>Gordon let out a wordless grumble as he brushed past him into the room.</p><p>--</p><p>Barney occasionally made it his responsibility to get over to the engineering labs to make sure Alyx had eaten instead of getting caught up in a project. This had the perk of giving them some time alone to gossip, which had recently been solely focused on their guest.</p><p>"<em>Man</em>, Gordon's been a bit testy, Alyx," Barney said, having seated himself on her worktable, "he's been real frustrated ever since he asked me about Xen."</p><p>"Well, it's not like he's wrong about us keeping things from him," Alyx replied.</p><p>"I mean, that was fine until a day ago!" Barney groused. "Guess the longer he's here the more it's getting to him. Wish he'd have a bit of faith in us, though. Think there's anything that could take the guy's mind off it?"</p><p>"You mean aside from finding a solution for him?" she asked wryly.</p><p>"Yeah, I was thinking more like getting him outside. He knows about Black Mesa, we could probably explain away a few bullsquids. And since he was <em>at</em> Black Mesa, it's probably been at least a month since he saw a tree. That's bad for your blood pressure."</p><p>"Uhuh," Alyx said, sounding dubious, "although it is pretty suspicious that we never let him outside..."</p><p>"Well then, you got any ideas?"</p><p>Alyx hummed, shooing him away from the workbench to pull open a drawer. She pulled out a well-worn notebook, flipping through it until she landed on something. Barney peeked over her shoulder, letting out an appreciative hum.</p><p>"I mean, the prosthetic I made for him is fine appearance wise, but... I figure he could stand to be able to hold something. Like a pen." Or a gun.</p><p>"Yeah, that'd probably help. Maybe you should go full Go Go Gadget and let him shoot lasers from his fingertips. Just the standard hand things," he joked.</p><p>Alyx didn't respond. When Barney looked over, she seemed deep in thought.</p><p>"Alyx, that wasn't--"</p><p>"Do you think--"</p><p>"Alyx--"</p><p>"I've got a <em>great</em> idea, Barney," she said, giving him a winning smile that made him more nervous than anything else, "You're gonna love it."</p><p>Barney suspected that he would not, in fact, love it.</p><p>--</p><p>Xen was the not-place between places. An area that things went through on their way to parts unknown, and not a destination on its own. A membrane stretching between many worlds.</p><p>The way the Vortigaunts had described it made it sound not very nice.</p><p>So naturally it was a few days after Gordon had spoken to the Vortigaunts that Kleiner suggested they <em>go there</em>. He was pretty sure he pulled a muscle with how fast his head whipped up from his own work to stare at the scientist.</p><p>"Huh?" Gordon asked eloquently.</p><p>"Oh, what scheme have you got this time?" Magnusson asked, but it was clear from the way he had fully turned to look at Kleiner that he'd also had his interest piqued.</p><p>"Many moments meet at the Borderworld... should we wish to find the Freeman's true home, it would be the easiest place to do so." Uriah said, Kleiner nodding along.</p><p>"Just so! Finding your home dimension will be no small task, Gordon, but if we're going to do it at all-- well, Xen is the place to do it."</p><p>"So this... Xen," Gordon started, "the notes say you're using it as some kind of slingshot. Why can't we just do that from here? Without, uh... going to. Whatever this place is?"</p><p>"The technology isn't designed for that," Magusson started, although he was cut off by a low hum of consideration from Uriah.</p><p>"With respect to the Magnusson," it said, "if we return to the Borderworld, my kin would be more than sufficient to part the false veils. Technology here... is not required."</p><p>"Are you quite sure, Uriah?" Kleiner said. Uriah nodded. "Well, that... simplifies things a great deal. We can set up a relay easily enough--"</p><p>"We <em>could</em>," Magnusson interrupted, "except for the fact that we need a resonator to do it, and I believe the last of our Xenium is currently in low earth orbit."</p><p>"....Ah. Well, there is that." Kleiner responded. "What about that old storage facility not too far from here? If memory serves, it was also owned by Black Mesa. Who knows what's been abandoned there since the Incident."</p><p>"...wait, this place was owned by Black Mesa?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"It was convenient to have multiple launch facilities in case of surprise governmental oversight," Magnusson explained, "I <em>suppose</em> there's some chance something's been abandoned out there. We have no better ideas forthcoming."</p><p>Kleiner had already called up Barney before Magnusson even finished agreeing, who appeared a few minutes later with Alyx in tow.</p><p>"You certainly took your time getting here," Magnusson said, to which Barney shrugged.</p><p>"Kleiner said you guys were planning some urban spelunking," he said, "I thought Alyx and Gordon might wanna come along for the fun."</p><p>"It's a warehouse complex, not a party," Magnusson said, "I hardly think all three of you need to go."</p><p>"Aw, come on, Magnusson," Alyx said, "We could all stand to get out of White Forest for a bit, and it's not like Barney can go alone. Don't you think so, Gordon?"</p><p>Gordon had not been expecting to be volunteered for this. The two had been pretty insistent about him not wandering out before, and it wasn't like he was any use in a fight like this. He stared at Alyx for a moment as if it'd give something away, but she just gave him a small smile.</p><p>"Uh, yeah, I have an objection to this!" Gordon finally said, holding up the gloved hand with the prosthetic and wiggling it slightly to prove a point. "I'm not exactly peak scouting party content."</p><p>"Actually..." Alyx said, and her grin is-- <em>mischievous</em> is the first thing Gordon thinks of. Like she's got something she's been dying to show him. "There's something that I've been working on. C'mon."</p><p>She gestured to the doorway, and Gordon gave a glance to Barney, who offered a shrug that was completely contradicted by the amused expression he was sporting. Whatever it was, he seemed to already know. This did not make him feel better.</p><p>"O...kay," he said, following after.</p><p>"Good luck, you three," Kleiner said as they left.</p><p>"You'll probably need it," Magnusson added.</p><p>Gordon recognized the route to her lab easily enough -- she'd brought him here a few times before, usually to pick something up or drop something off on their way to the teleportation labs. When he walked in this time, though, there was no immediate indication of why he was here. It even seemed a bit emptier than usual, like some of the normal clutter had been put away.</p><p>"So, uh-- what's up?" Gordon said.</p><p>"I've been working on a few different things for you. We," at this, she gestured between herself and Barney, who had followed after them, "thought it might cheer you up a bit if we could improve that hand of yours."</p><p>"What, like...cybernetics, or something?" Gordon asked, unconsciously going to hold the point where prosthetic and skin met.</p><p>"Bit more basic than that, but yeah," she affirmed, "And that's... almost done? Give it a little longer, it's not every day I have to build a hand from scratch."</p><p>She had turned away from him to go further into the lab, picking up a box and starting towards one of the workbenches.</p><p>"Wait, so if it's not done, why did you bring me here?" Gordon asked, confused.</p><p>"I said the <em>hand</em> wasn't done," she corrected.</p><p>She dropped the box onto the bench with a resounding <em>thud</em>, shoving the lid away. She pulled out a contraption of metal and wires from the box, and Barney let out a breathy laugh.</p><p>"Alyx, you <em>didn't</em>," he said.</p><p>"Gordon," Alyx said, cradling the thing delicately, "meet the Tau Cannon."</p><p>The Tau Cannon appeared to be some kind of... tube. It had a dark grey body, although bright copper formed a set of prongs at the tip and wound around a set of electromagnets at the back. Set within the body, Gordon could see a mess of additional, more copper windings, and the soft blue glow of... something.</p><p>"Okay," he said, still feeling a bit lost, "What does it do?"</p><p>"It converts power cells like the ones the HEV suit uses into a particle beam," she stated matter-of-factly. She turned it around, where he could see that the back of it curved in and was hiding some strapping, "This one also attaches to your arm."</p><p>"I... wait, it does <em>what</em>?"</p><p>"You heard the lady," Barney said, "Strap the big cannon to your arm."</p><p>"Is that... uh, is that safe?"</p><p>"The tech's, what, twenty years old?" Alyx asked, "It's not exactly experimental."</p><p>"Anything that came from Black Mesa is always gonna feel experimental," Barney murmured under his breath.</p><p>"Is there a particular reason I'm going to need a laser cannon strapped to my arm?" Gordon asked. Alyx and Barney shared a glance that was not comforting.</p><p>"Nah," Barney finally said, "Pretty sure Alyx just did this ‘cause she could. But if we're going to drag you somewhere, might as well give you some way to defend yourself."</p><p>That was a big fucking lie, because Gordon <em>knew</em> there were things out there that might try and bite his face off, but he considered the offer for what it was. Alyx had been working on this already, even before they had a reason to leave White Forest. It wasn't like he'd been exactly hiding his annoyance at the current state of things, so maybe they were actually trying to... help? By giving him a gun?</p><p>By offering to get him out of White Forest for a bit, he realized. By giving him something so he wouldn't have to rely on them for his own protection. Trust for trust.</p><p>"...thanks."</p><p>"So, Gordon, that satisfy your objections? You change your mind on the day trip?" Barney asked.</p><p>"I-- you know what? Sure. Why the hell not."</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The soldier fell from the edge of the canyon, Dr. Coomer having socked the man in the jaw and sending him tumbling. Gordon let out a relieved breath when he didn't hear the crackle of any more radios or the sound of rock crunching under combat boots. The path they were on twisted and wound its way up a sheer cliff face, and in the scuffle with soldiers there had been just a <em>few</em> too many close calls.</p><p>The Science Team poked around the fortified cut-out into the cliff face that they had just taken over, a few crates and sandbags forming makeshift defenses in front of a Black Mesa storage shed. Dr. Coomer breezed past him to go investigate said nearby shed, appearing a moment later with a large RPG.</p><p>"Gordon, I've found some heavy artillery! We can use this for dangers we may face up ahead."</p><p>At the indication of heavy weapons Bubby went into the storage, returning with a box of rockets and another RPG.</p><p>"Hell yes!" Bubby cheered, busying himself with trying to fit as many rockets into the large pockets on his lab coat as physically possible.</p><p>The low thrum of helicopter blades could be heard in the distance, and a memory that had been half forgotten under exhaustion and a million other more intense moments pushed its way back to the front of Gordon's brain. Right. There'd... been a helicopter somewhere around here, hadn't there? He hadn't really been <em>relying</em> on his memories of things that had tried to kill him at Black Mesa, this place just different enough for them to be mostly useless, but he took a moment to be incredulous that he'd forgotten about even the possibility of it.</p><p>The sound only seemed to grow louder as they combed through the storage for ammo and first-aid kits. Here, where the path curved inwards into the canyon wall, it was impossible to see what exactly was out there. Bubby, ever impatient to move forward, wandered to the edge of the canyon with Tommy trailing just behind. They got close to the edge of the small cut-in and then abruptly turned back to sprint towards the rest of the group, and though Gordon could see Tommy yell something he couldn't hear it over the noise. They stopped only once they had made it back behind the cover of stacked crates.</p><p>"Mister Freeman--" Tommy started, now close enough to be heard, but Bubby cut him off.</p><p>"There's something <em>fucked up</em> out there!"</p><p>At this point Gordon had seen this group shake off some truly strange things, and so he wondered what the issue with a helicopter could possibly be to get such a response. He'd admit that it was certainly... louder than he'd consider normal, and the volume only seemed to be increasing. Dr. Coomer must have spoken, because his mouth moved, but even though he was just as close as Tommy had been moments ago the words were now drowned out. The way Dr. Coomer hefted the rocket launcher onto his shoulder was pretty unambiguous though. Gordon nodded in assumed agreement with the plan, and the team began moving towards the curve of the canyon to face the helicopter.</p><p>That-- <em>That wasn't a helicopter</em>. This was about all Gordon could say with certainty about whatever the <em>hell</em> he was looking at.</p><p>At first, all he could make out was that it was a dark mass against the bright New Mexico sky, hovering in place. It pulsed and shifted and grew louder, and louder, and <em>louder</em>.</p><p>After a moment, he determined it was... helicopter-adjacent. There was a rotor, blades sliding over each other-- through each other, like the others weren't even there. They certainly sounded like they were grinding over each other, the harsh sound of metal sliding providing a backdrop to the rest of it. The center shifting mass seemed to be made of flat sheets of metal, which folded into each other over and over. Occasionally the sun would catch what was presumably glass in a bright, blinding flash. At the edges were impressions of many helicopter tails, but like the rotors they shifted around and through each other, themselves only briefly distinguishable. The deafening thrum reached a peak-- and then suddenly it all went silent.</p><p>For a moment Gordon thinks he might have just been abruptly deafened, but a slow, pulsing crackle starts up. The only thing Gordon could compare it to was the blown-out speakers in Barney's old, beat-up car that he'd had back before all this, but-- it was as if it had been applied to everything. He can't even hear his own footsteps as he took several steps away from the thing in surprise.</p><p>There was a harsh pulse of static, a thunderous boom filled with the terrible sound of the thing, and then it cut out again just as quickly back to the crackling. It was almost worse than the constant noise had been, the brief sound like a physical blow to his ears.</p><p>He saw the Science Team frozen in similar shock, and then at another burst of the aggressive, crackling static they all came back to themselves, although not in any organized fashion. Dr. Coomer fired a completely silent rocket that struck true into the main body of the thing. It smoked and sparked, and shrapnel fell. For an instant it looked a bit more normal, a few more features becoming clear, and then it twisted and turned and was once again unidentifiable.</p><p>Someone said something, as he could hear a garbled "--OUT--" mixed in with the next aggressive burst of noise, but the instruction was honestly unneeded. He looked around for the nearest ladder, or tunnel, <em>anything</em>, the high cliff showing no immediate escape from the thing. Dr. Coomer, after spending a moment to appear mildly horrified at the failed results of his rocket, grabbed Gordon to push him forward, where he spotted Bubby waving frantically from a ladder. They scrambled up it only to find that the path narrowed dangerously at the top, the scaffolding having completely fallen away in a few parts and forming an obstacle between them and a large drain pipe. Drain pipes were good, because they typically led to buildings, and places that weren't here.</p><p>There was another burst of sound and the scaffolding they were standing on shook beneath them.</p><p>The mass of helicopter doesn't fire any weapons, but it didn’t need to when the bursts of sound were a danger on their own as they tried to navigate the narrow pass. They weren't quite rhythmic enough to time, which boded poorly for the precision jumping from shaking platforms they were about to have to do. Bubby was apparently sufficiently motivated by fear that he just went for it, Dr. Coomer looking extremely concerned for the fact but his words lost to the low rumbling static. He dove into the opening of the concrete drainpipe, and Gordon realizes after a moment that there's someone next to him. Benrey, having already cleared the gap at some point, was simply staring down at the helicopter pile with wide eyes.</p><p>Tommy went next, Dr. Coomer following. He paused at the edge of the cliff, waiting for Gordon.</p><p>Gordon jumped, but there was a burst of sound right as his first foot hit the scaffolding. It shook violently beneath him and his foot slid off, and as he fell he desperately threw out a hand to grab the railing.</p><p>A set of hands grabbed onto his arm instead, and Gordon looked up to meet the wide-eyed stare of Dr. Coomer. He... wasn't sure how the other scientist got back over the final gap that fast, but immediately decided not to worry about it when there were more pressing things going on. He pulled himself back up and they made the final leap simultaneously, stumbling into the packed dirt of the cliff-face.</p><p>The concrete drainpipe was worse at first, the bursts of sound echoing around it. They sprinted away, sounds crackling back into existence one by one-- his own blood rushing in his ears, the squelch of their footsteps against the water and muck in the drain, the fading sound of tens-hundreds-thousands of blades in the distance.</p><p>They didn't stop until well after it was just a distant hum, the sloshing of the gross drain water and their heavy, nervous breathing both welcome sounds after <em>that</em>, and Gordon was secretly somewhat relieved that everyone else seemed as alarmed as he was. He wasn't sure he was ready for that to have been a normal occurrence. When they finally had escaped the noise, a brief pause revealing no distant thudding of rotor blades, Gordon slid down a wall to sit as he waited for his ears to stop ringing.</p><p>"Well," was what Dr. Coomer eventually started with, "that was unexpected."</p><p>"What the hell....?" Benrey asked.</p><p>Benrey had dropped cross-legged across from Gordon, and while Gordon had the HEV suit to protect him from getting wet the guard seemed unconcerned with his clothes being soaked through. He sang a deep blue, the tone fading into a gentle background noise as it echoed around them. It didn't seem to be directed at anybody in particular and Gordon shrugged it off when Tommy didn't bother to translate. It was soothing in a strange way, the soft sound welcome after the din and the light casting everything in a slightly odd color.</p><p>"What was that?" seemed like a good question to start with, a few awkward smatterings of color joining the sea of blue above them. Gordon wasn't terribly surprised when, after Tommy's translation, the rest shared uncertain looks.</p><p>"Hell if I know," Bubby finally said, "I've never seen anything like that in my life!"</p><p>"It didn't seem natural," Tommy said.</p><p>"Maybe that was the last of all the military's funding thrown at us!" Dr. Coomer suggested.</p><p>"That's what happens when, uh, you fast track projects," Benrey offered, "if you cut too many corners they'll... get stuck like that."</p><p>"I don't-- I don't think that's how military funding or helicopters work?" Tommy said.</p><p>"Then perhaps... there may have an issue with how it 'spawned'!" Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>"What?" Gordon asked, and given that his confusion was the same color as before it didn't need a direct translation. Benrey immediately drowned him out with a low buzzing tone, the color a bright safety orange.</p><p>"If that's the case then we better get going," Dr. Coomer said instead of explaining, "We wouldn't want that thing to catch up with us, after all!"</p><p>"What does that mean?"</p><p>"It's-- it's fine, Mr. Freeman. We got away from it, didn't we?" Tommy said softly, but he still didn't answer the question.</p><p>--</p><p>Tommy had said that Benrey was being <em>mean</em> to the new Freeman. Unfair, because Benrey was simply being excellent at his job of keeping out people who weren't supposed to be here. Old Freeman hadn't had his passport, but he had <em>probably</em> worked here because people, like, knew him, and so Benrey had tolerated him and-- kept an eye on him. To protect both him and all of Black Mesa's very important machines.</p><p>New Freeman wasn't supposed to be here at all, which really meant he should just have left and brought back old Freeman. Despite Benrey's occasional threats wrapped in Sweet Voice, that didn't seem to be happening any time soon.</p><p>He'd meant what he said, how something about Freeman was distinctly... weird. It wasn't exactly something Benrey could articulate but he knew it was worse when he used the Voice, as if something was snagging on his words. Perhaps it was the fact that the new Freeman could use the Voice at all, despite being human. Presumably human? Maybe Benrey shouldn't have just assumed that.</p><p>This strange feeling was only made worse by how much new Freeman seemed to just... know, which Benrey hated, and when he <em>didn't</em> know something he'd ask Tommy persistently until he got a satisfactory answer. It was probably just a matter of time until he realized something actually important, and then Benrey assumed everything else would quickly go to hell.</p><p>The little display of that helicopter had thrown him badly, though. He didn't understand, and worse yet there seemed to be no answers forthcoming, and in that moment of agitation and fear he'd seemed more like their Freeman than he had at any point before. And it wasn't that Benrey missed their Freeman, or that he was listening to Tommy. He was just-- uh, a nice guy, was all. A good friend to everyone on the Science Team. And good friends checked in on their teammates.</p><p>They were walking through a car tunnel, abandoned company vehicles and the occasional body of a security guard serving as fun mile markers. It was quiet for the moment, and Benrey could practically <em>feel</em> the stare Tommy was drilling into the back of his head. With a sigh he let himself slow down slightly until he was walking next to Freeman.</p><p>"Heya, uh-- Freeman with the vibes. Vibesman," Benrey said.</p><p>New Freeman turned to look at him. He looked bemused at the nickname but didn't say anything, which Benrey took as sign to continue.</p><p>Not that he had really planned out what he was going to say.</p><p>He hummed as he tried to decide how to play nice with new Freeman. Maybe he'd like ribbing? Some friendly violence? A few bits of color spilled from his lips, idle sounds as he stalled for something to say.</p><p>"What was the blue earlier?" Freeman asked, surprising Benrey and taking a solid lead on starting the conversation.</p><p>"H--wha?" he said in response, and he saw annoyance flicker briefly across Freeman's face at the presumed snub. "It's. uh. Blue... chill. Calm down time."</p><p>Benrey mimicked the color, a small bit of blue light gathering in his hands. He offered it out to Freeman, who took it in one of his palms and considered it seriously. After a moment he nodded, the light fading away.</p><p>"So you <em>can</em> understand me...How'd you learn?" he asked, and though externally Benrey shrugged he kind of hated that this conversation seemed to be turning into a question session. Couldn't this Freeman just roll with stuff, why'd he even care?</p><p>"...Wha," he said. "It's-- it's uh, same deal, right? As-- as making the sounds. Not that hard, Vibesman. Wait," he said, turning so that he was facing Freeman and walking backwards so that he could stare at him, "can't, uh, read? Thought you were just ignoring my great orbs. My friendly messages."</p><p>A very unfriendly crimson seeped through his teeth. One last polite request for him to spontaneously leave. No harm in asking nicely.</p><p>"...I can't read it, no," he finally said, "why were you pretending you couldn't?"</p><p>"So many questions, man, don't, uh-- now we're gonna be cool friends. Cool friends who, talk to each other, and say words," Benrey said. Even if it was only because Tommy would be super disappointed in Benrey if he didn't try to be great cool friends, and nobody wanted that.</p><p>Freeman seemed extremely dubious of that fact, which was probably fair. But after a moment his gaze turned more considering, and oh hell he was about to ask another question wasn't he--</p><p>"Alright." Wait, that wasn't a question-- "I don't know what changed, but... I'll take your word for it for now. It'd be nice to talk to someone other than Tommy."</p><p>"Tommy's great, though. Super, super superb."</p><p>"He is," and at that Freeman smiled softly. Tommy just kind of had that effect, "but I'm sure he gets tired of my questions."</p><p>"Then ask fewer, please?" Benrey asked, "Gotta just-- roll with it, man. You got the basics, yeah? Pretty much same as home?"</p><p>"This place is much stranger," he said matter-of-factly.</p><p>"Well, <em>duh</em>. You live at home. Wouldn't think it was-- very strange, wouldja?"</p><p>A shrug that seemed to concede the point. "One more question?"</p><p>"Ugh, if you really gotta ask. Better be important. Life changing."</p><p>"If you can read the Voice, why does it always rhyme?"</p><p>Benrey almost tripped in his surprise, an abrupt laugh startled out of him that made Freeman jump slightly.</p><p>"It doesn't, uh, no rhymes. Tommy-- just. Knows all the words, from his... books. Helps him remember them, super cool uhh... me.... memetics."</p><p>"Mnemonics?"</p><p>"S'what I said."</p><p>Freeman let out a small laugh at that, a little huff where old Freeman's had been super loud. Probably so quiet that nobody else had heard it.</p><p>"Somehow… that makes feel like I understand how to read it <em>less</em>," Freeman said after a moment, and Benrey clicked his tongue in minor annoyance. Baby Freeman, maybe not so different from the other Freeman. Made a lot of noise but couldn't listen when he needed to.</p><p>"You throw out-- uh, all these vibes, but you're not taking them in-- you gotta listen."</p><p>Freeman seemed to consider this, but he simply gave an uncertain shrug.</p><p>"It's whatever, man," Benrey said, "Hard for people to-- understand sometimes."</p><p>"Gordon, would you stop whistling like a bird for five minutes?" Bubby snapped back at them, startling them both back to the rest of the group. "You're going to bring something right to us."</p><p>Freeman huffed under his breath in annoyance, although the bit of Voice that slipped out was a sage green to a color like chalk. Tommy probably would have politely translated it as <em>'you're being mean, how else can I talk?'</em>. Benrey would have included at least one swear. The angry buzz caused Bubby to just frown and turn back forward. The moment broken, and Freeman seemingly mildly irritated at being basically told to shut up, Benrey figured he was done answering dumb questions and wandered off, Freeman giving him a small nod as he jogged back up towards Tommy.</p><p>"Seems like-- like you and Mr. Freeman had a nice conversation," he said, and though Tommy never quite actually managed smug Benrey was <em>pretty</em> sure this was very close. Or maybe he was just happy the two had finally talked to each other.</p><p>"A deep crimson red means 'you should drop dead'," Benrey amended, but Tommy's smile didn't falter.</p><p>"You said that to the other Mr. Freeman too. At-- at least three times a day."</p><p>"He's still--" Benrey choked down the urge to let more of the Sweet Voice escape, "He's still weird. Probably cursed."</p><p>Tommy hummed at that, like he was debating saying something about it, but instead he just continued, "Seems that Mr. Freeman's getting-- uh, getting a bit better at the Sweet Voice. Maybe it'll go away with-- with that."</p><p>"Mmmm. Doubt it."</p><p>"Have you ever considered that-- that maybe you should think more positively?"</p><p>"Nah."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Sleeping Dogs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys its been a minute huh. This chapter wasn’t supposed to be that long, and then it just kept growing... and growing... so please enjoy this beast! :)</p><p>Also thank you for your continued support, your patience, your kind comments, and your love for helicopter heap. &lt;3 Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As it turned out, the maybe-scrapyard-maybe-garage room was, in fact, the latter. This was where they were now as Alyx loaded a few bags of... something into the back of a jeep. Gordon assumed at least one of them contained the Tau, hand prosthetic back in place as they talked to the few resistance members who seemed to oversee this area. The rest were presumably additional weapons and supplies.</p><p>The jeep itself had seen better days, although it had clearly been lovingly cared for. One of the doors was a different color than the rest, a dull red popping against the black, scuffed chassis. Any padding that had been on the exposed open top had long since been removed or damaged, presumably to allow the additional roll bars that had been welded to it. It only had two seats, although even with their cargo the back was large enough for someone to sit in it.</p><p>"Not taking the HEV suit, Mr. Freeman?" a man asked, startling him from where he'd zoned out leaning against the vehicle.</p><p>"Nah, we shouldn't need it," Barney replied on his behalf. It certainly wasn't that the HEV suit Gordon had was ancient and missing a hand. "With any luck this'll be in-and-out."</p><p>"Now you've jinxed us, Barney," Alyx scolded mildly.</p><p>"A guy can hope, Alyx," he retorted.</p><p>As prepped as they were going to get, they piled in, Alyx taking the driver's seat while Barney graciously took the back. Gordon suddenly felt a bit of nerves run down his spine as he hopped up into the vehicle. They were leaving White Forest, and though Gordon knew distantly what had happened to Earth he hadn't seen it yet, had he? He didn't <em>really</em> know, but maybe he'd get some answers during this outing.</p><p>The jeep grumbled to life, the sound of the engine a steady hum. There was the sound of machinery as a garage door pulled itself up, and then they were off. The sun was initially blinding after the relatively dim lights of White Forest, but as his eyes adjusted the first thing Gordon noticed was how... normal everything seemed.</p><p>He wasn't sure what he'd been <em>exactly</em> expecting the outside to look like, but his mental image had been grey and full of dead trees. Maybe just some alien machinery in random places for flair. Somehow thick pine forests hadn't been on the list. In the distance hills rolled up into mountains, a brilliant blue sky completing the scene. It was calmer than he'd expected. But then, he supposed that him coming on this outing wouldn't have exactly been approved if it was immediately obvious that the entire world had gone to hell.</p><p>They trundled down a dirt road, the jeep shaking with the dips and twists. White Forest vanished from view as they turned a bend and suddenly there was a hand on his head. Barney tugged the hat hiding his hair and let it tumble down, laughing at Gordon's indignant splutter.</p><p>"W-what was that for!?" Gordon said, "What if someone sees?"</p><p>"C'mon, doc, let your hair down," he teased, "It's pretty empty out here. You're not gonna have to pretend for now, alright? That's part of why we brought you in the first place."</p><p>"Let my hair down. For a relaxing trip out to a storage shed?" Gordon wryly asked, biting down on the 'filled with aliens' his brain internally wanted to append. He wasn't really supposed to know that, and there was always the chance that the long-abandoned facility <em>wasn't</em> filled with aliens. Maybe.</p><p>"Yup. Look, when's the last time you saw a tree?" Barney said, and Gordon's extended silence seemed to only prove his point as he continued, "Right. Enjoy some nature, breathe some air that doesn't smell of solder. This <em>'storage shed'</em> is about two hours out, assuming all the roads have held up."</p><p>"Held up?" Gordon asked, and though he couldn't see Barney behind him the silence lasted just a bit too long.</p><p>"I mean, this place is just a bit remote, if you didn't notice. Doesn't get a lot of maintenance."</p><p>"Sure," Gordon said a bit petulantly, ignoring the concerned glances he drew.</p><p>--</p><p>Gordon isn't exactly sure how long they've been driving when there's a distant low whine. He snapped instantly to attention, eyes scanning in the direction he'd heard it. There was another whine, and then another, and the ground trembled.</p><p>To his surprise, Alyx slowed down before stopping entirely.</p><p>"Hey, uh, why are we not running away from whatever that is?" Gordon asked, agitated.</p><p>"If we're hearing 'em, we've already been flanked," Barney explained, "if we gun it, they might roll the car."</p><p>With that he started rummaging in one of the bags, pulling out a shotgun that he set aside. Alyx was already prepping her own handgun, and after a moment the Tau was shoved in his direction. A strap that went around his neck helped to counterbalance the not-inconsiderable weight of the weapon, and after a moment of fumbling it was settled and his left hand went to nervously sit on the triggers.</p><p>The whining got closer, and Gordon suddenly placed it.</p><p>"Peeper puppies," he said, Alyx whipping her head back to give him an expression that looked like it couldn't settle between surprise and undisguised delight.</p><p>"<em>Peeper puppies</em>?" she repeated incredulously, shoving open one of the doors of the car to get out. Barney had already hopped out of the back and was opening Gordon's own door.</p><p>"Be ready," Barney said, "these guys can be a real pain in packs."</p><p>The cannon on his arm thrummed from the energy going through it. Gordon wasn't worried about the dog-like creatures, having seen enough of them at Black Mesa, but they had also been more 'free-roaming and confused' than 'pincer pack tactics' there, so he wasn't entirely sure what to expect.</p><p>A few bounded out from the underbrush, a chorus of chirrups signaling their arrival. About four, actually, which was just enough to make any of their attacks really hurt. His hand tensed on the trigger, and the Tau started to hum as it collected energy for the shot. The puppies seemed to pick up on the noise, and one of them let out a low warning whirr.</p><p>And then, bizarrely, the group stopped, their noise cutting off abruptly. </p><p>A man came sprinting out of the woods, a whistle in his mouth. He blew on it, and though the whistle made no noise itself the puppies flocked around him. A moment later another group came out of the brush to join them, and Gordon grimaced slightly at the sight of seven (seven!) puppies.</p><p>"Are you alright!?" the man asked, looking a bit winded as the aliens excitedly circled around his feet.</p><p>"Yeah, we're fine," Gordon said automatically, only belatedly noticing the bright yellow lambda on the man's arm that marked him as part of the whole... resistance thing.</p><p>"...Doctor Freeman?" the man asked, although he sounded a little unsure. "When'd your hair get so-- wait, you can actually <em>talk</em>?"</p><p>"Uh," Gordon returned eloquently.</p><p>"He's just... normally a man of few words," Alyx said, shifting to block line of sight between this man and Gordon. "The quiet type."</p><p>"Miss Vance!" he said, and he tried to rapidly pull himself together. "I sure hope they didn't hurt any of you. They're not supposed to just run off like that, so I knew they'd found something <em>big</em>, but when I heard voices, I came running myself."</p><p>"Say, aren't you one of the guys working on that farming project?" Barney asked, "How'd you end up all the way out here with a pack of houndeyes?"</p><p>"Ever since the Citadel blew, the antlions have been real rowdy. It was already spawning season, but with the collapse of their tunnels... they keep trying to set up a bit too close."</p><p>"So you're using the houndeyes to chase them off," Alyx said, "Smart."</p><p>"In theory," the man said, "though you can see it's got mixed results. 'Sides, most of what we've been finding is headcrabs. The northern forests have just been lousy with them lately."</p><p>"Attracted to all the activity, you think?" Alyx asked.</p><p>"That's what we all thought at first, but it's been going on long enough that I'm starting to have doubts," he explained, "Don't have anything concrete to bother you all at White Forest with, but if you ask me, it'd be just our luck for there to be a forgotten shell factory out here."</p><p>"Ah, jeez," Barney said, running a hand through his hair, but Gordon didn't miss the way both his and Alyx's attention flickered to him for a moment before going back to the man. They wanted to ask something, clearly, but they were worried about what'd they say. Gordon thought that maybe they deserved that, a little bit. "You got anything more specific than 'up north'?"</p><p>"If I did, you would already know about it," he said with a shrug.</p><p>"We'll arrange for some scouting parties to come help you once we get back to White Forest, but since we're headed that way we'll keep an eye out ourselves," Alyx said, "send the information you've got to us."</p><p>She looked down at the puppies, now sitting placidly at the man's feet. One looked up at her with its dozens of eyes, letting out a little chirp.</p><p>"Maybe these guys can come too, if you think they're up for it?"</p><p>"Of course, Miss Vance! I'm sure they'd love a chance to wreck some Combine machinery. It'd be enrichment."</p><p>With that he gave another small silent blow on the whistle, the puppies leaping up to attention. He said something to them, and they bounded off, the man giving them a parting wave as they disappeared back into the trees. Alyx turned back to Gordon.</p><p>"So. Peeper puppies?"</p><p>"Wh-- what's wrong with peeper puppies?" Gordon said, "They have eyes, they look kinda like dogs. Peepers. Puppies. Easy! What'd <em>you</em> call them?"</p><p>"Houndeyes," Barney said, "I can't believe the best y'all came up with was <em>peeper puppies</em>."</p><p>"Look, naming things was not high on the Black Mesa priority list," Gordon replied, "That list consisted of not dying, not letting anybody <em>else</em> on the Team die, and trying not to lose any more limbs. Approximately in that order!"</p><p>"Barney, we should totally call them peeper puppies," Alyx said.</p><p>"<em>No</em>."</p><p>--</p><p>Gordon had been quiet since their encounter with the houndeyes, head propped up on his arm as he stared intensely at the passing trees like he was considering something. Alyx <em>hoped</em> it wasn't any questions about what the man had said, but she knew better than to assume he wouldn't have picked up on it.</p><p>"I thought you said there wasn't much out here we'd need weapons for," Gordon finally said, giving them both a suspicious look, "but what the hell is an antlion?"</p><p>"...couple of aliens might have settled in after the Incident," Barney said.</p><p>"Didn't think that, I don't know, <em>might</em> have been worth a mention before now?"</p><p>"What, were you gonna go meet them all?" he returned easily, leaning up between the front seats, "We kinda thought we'd have worked out your whole... situation much sooner."</p><p>"Yeah, which seems like a really weird thing to be even <em>slightly</em> confident about," Gordon said, a little heated, "given that it's not exactly easy to cross dimensions, except, oh yeah, you guys had just been sitting on the fact that you can jump to some <em>Borderworld</em>, too."</p><p>He turned more fully to look at them both, and he seemed to be searching for something. After a moment he huffed, turning away.</p><p>"I thought that maybe all this was-- maybe you'd finally give me <em>something</em> without just shutting me out of things that matter, but you're just as determined as ever, huh?"</p><p>"Gordon, there's... a lot we'd have to catch you up on, and it's hard to tell what you might <em>actually</em> need to know," Alyx said.</p><p>"And relevant to the world at large and relevant to <em>you</em> are not the same," Barney added.</p><p>"How about the Combine that the guy mentioned?"</p><p>Alyx heard Barney suck in a breath through his teeth behind them. Apparently, he had <em>also</em> been hoping that would go unremarked upon.</p><p>"Yeah. Not relevant. Will you let it lie if I say it's also firmly under the 'spoiler' category?" Barney said, and she could see Gordon frown next to her.</p><p>"He said it was to the North," Gordon added, "that's where we're going, too."</p><p>"It could just be a coincidence," Alyx said, "He was guessing."</p><p>"Yeah, guessing enough that you're going to send a team up there to check, right?" Gordon returned, "For some kind of-- facility. That's infested with headcrabs. And you don't think this might be <em>relevant</em> enough to really explain? Even a little bit?"</p><p>"I mean, that seems to about sum that situation up. What else do you want to know about it?" Barney shot back.</p><p>"Look, I get it, okay? I <em>get</em> not bothering to tell me everything-- I don't like it, but sure! But how long did you really think it'd be before I noticed that this place is goddamn <em>bizarre</em>? And you want me to trust you, but it's never-- with you people it's never <em>small</em> things! It's that there's some bizarro border world that your Freeman's been to, or that someone's about to cut my arm off, or that the world ended with a second alien invasion and you'd let the same thing happen to my home without a <em>word</em>!"</p><p>There was a stiff silence around them as his words sunk in. Gordon seemed to settle down the smallest amount in the silence, letting out an annoyed huff and easing slightly back into his seat as the motor hummed.</p><p>"How long have you known?" Alyx finally asked.</p><p>"A while," Gordon said.</p><p>"Were you going to say anything," Barney said, "or...?"</p><p>"Oh no. You do not get to <em>play</em> that card, Barney," Gordon said with an aggravated growl, "You do not get to hide things for three weeks and then <em>ask</em> when <em>I'd</em> tell you something."</p><p>"It's not exactly a simple story," Alyx said.</p><p>"Or a particularly nice one," Barney added, "Look, Gordon... we just didn't want you worrying more about your home, <em>or</em> ours. A lot of stuff has happened here, and... we just don't know if it can happen to y'all too. Wasn't any point in telling you about it."</p><p>"...I get it," he said, "But I'm-- I'm already worried about my home. I have to get back to my son, even the Science Team-- who knows what's going on over there by now, but I'm done just walking blind into situations. If I can learn something to help them--"</p><p>"Look, Gordon," Alyx said, briefly glancing over to try and catch his eyes, "The effects of Black Mesa, whatever they may be, are out of your hands. They're probably out of anyone's."</p><p>"You don't know that," Gordon said, "You <em>can't</em>."</p><p>"There's a... small chance, that the Combine won't find your home," Alyx said, trying for slightly more reassuring.</p><p>"That doesn't make me feel better," Gordon said.</p><p>"Yeah, well," Barney said, "It's the truth. That's what you wanted, right?"</p><p>Gordon went quiet at that, staring aimlessly out the window.</p><p>--</p><p>The remainder of the ride passed in silence, Gordon occasionally fidgeting by tapping his fingers against the cannon that was still strapped to his arm. The road had only been paved in a rare few areas to start but had well since transitioned from packed dirt to more of an overgrown path. Gordon was starting to wonder if this still <em>qualified</em> as a road when they finally passed an old, worn metal sign, the Black Mesa logo visible behind some tall grass.</p><p>"I was starting to wonder if this place actually existed," Barney said.</p><p>The actual facility wasn't too far past that, and on the outside, it looked fairly similar to White Forest: squat, cement, and ugly. It was considerably more overgrown than its counterpart, moss thick on the exterior walls and plants having torn up the paved path leading to it.</p><p>"So," Gordon said, "This place was owned by Black Mesa?"</p><p>"Apparently so," Alyx said, "Until recently, White Forest was a bit more concerned with their own security-- didn't leave much time for exploration. Probably nobody's been here since..." she paused, glancing over at Gordon, "...since the Combine showed up."</p><p>"Jeez," Barney said, "I see we can go several thousand miles and cross an ocean, yet Black Mesa's ugly architecture remains a constant."</p><p>"Alright, well, let's do this," Gordon said, approaching the door and giving it an experimental push. It didn't want to budge, although a shove with his shoulder knocked it open. There was a shrill screech, and Gordon immediately dropped to the ground as a headcrab soared past where his face had been moments before.</p><p>Barney gave it a swift kick as it landed, the creature letting out a sad, cut-off noise as it impacted with a tree.</p><p>"Great," Gordon said, "Now it's <em>just</em> like Black Mesa."</p><p>It was, as perhaps should have been expected, incredibly dark within. With a nudge Alyx handed Gordon a flashlight, a soft <em>click</em> sounding as she turned on her own and shrugged an empty bag onto her shoulder. Their footsteps crunched on the old tile of a mundane little entrance; a small security desk sat next to a glass sliding door. The glass had long been shattered, and it glinted in the light as they looked around.</p><p>"This place was probably abandoned right after the Incident," Barney mused, "Black Mesa wasn't exactly... uh, <em>extant</em> after all that."</p><p>"It's gonna be pretty hard to find what we need here," Gordon said, "Between the 'vague objective' and 'total darkness'."</p><p>"You should know best," Alyx gently teased, "that Black Mesa facilities contained numerous backup power stations."</p><p>"Wait, hasn't it been like twenty years?" Gordon asked, "Won't that stuff be, I don't know, broken or something?"</p><p>"The backup generators should still be good, they probably didn't have reason to use them before they shut down," Barney mused.</p><p>"Well, alright. So how do we find that?" he asked.</p><p>"The good old-fashioned way," Alyx said, ducking under a metal pushbar and through the broken glass of the door.</p><p>"Ah."</p><p>--</p><p>The hallways of the wordily-named Black Mesa Research Facility: White Forest Campus (as a single sign beyond the entrance doors had helpfully informed them) were not in much better shape than the entrance itself had been. Water had seeped in through the walls and formed slimy trails where it had run and delightful patches of mold. The air felt musty and stale, and the further down they got the more it had an unnerving tinge of rot.</p><p>There were also, in Gordon's opinion, entirely <em>too many</em> headcrabs, and while not exactly a problem (the Tau, he had quickly learned, was quite the gun) Gordon found himself wishing for a nice blunt object. Like the crowbar he'd had, maybe.</p><p>"How'd they all get down here?" Gordon grumbled after blocking yet another with the canon and shooting it as it hit the ground.</p><p>"There are quite a few of them...they might be our mystery headcrabs," Alyx mused, "But that doesn't really make sense."</p><p>"Didn't that guy say he thought they were coming from some facility?"</p><p>"Yeah, but... not this kind." Barney said.</p><p>"Are you <em>sure</em>?" Gordon pressed.</p><p>"Yeah. You'd know it if we'd found something like he was talking about."</p><p>Gordon gave him an expectant stare, waiting for additional details, and when none came, he turned away with a slightly petulant sigh. </p><p>While that was certainly strange, there seemed to not be much else out of the ordinary about the facility. After a bit of searching they found a maintenance tunnel that led to an old, dilapidated room, various large fuse boxes on the walls and a few giant pieces of machinery around them. As he poked around, Gordon heard the small sound of scuttling, and when he cast his flashlight down, he saw--</p><p>Huh. They were... tiny creatures, maybe about the size of his foot, and their pale bodies ended in a tiny set of claws on the front and small legs at the back. They looked like if someone had taken a headcrab and squished it, in Gordon's opinion.</p><p>They gathered around his feet, but their small claws weren't even able to penetrate through his jeans. He picked one up, the small creature wriggling angrily in his hand. It definitely had the pedipalps of a headcrab, and he could see a few tiny fangs peeking out. A few others chose that moment to figure out how climbing worked, and abruptly it felt like a few angry kittens were digging into his jeans. He yelped, smacking them off with an aggressive swat and stomping on them. "...What are these, fucked up little babies?"</p><p>"Wait, what?" Barney said, looking up from where he and Alyx had just done... something. The generator roared to life, the lights snapping on above them and casting the room in a dim, flickering light. He looked down at Gordon's feet, and his expression cycled through a few unreadable options before settling on... concerned. "Oh, shit."</p><p>The few creatures that had not just been crushed under Gordon's boots scattered, filling the air with sharp chirping as they fled. Distantly there was a low sound, almost like the trumpeting of an elephant that broke off into a series of discordant clicks.</p><p>"What the <em>fuck</em> was that?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"Complicating factor, give me a second," Barney said, turning to Alyx, "You ready to work some magic on this computer system, Alyx? We might be under a bit more pressure."</p><p>"We passed a lab not too far back," Alyx confirmed, "so we should be able to get some info there."</p><p>Distantly there was the sound of rubble shifting, the building trembling uneasily. Gordon grabbed onto Barney's arm as they left the room, tugging him back slightly to get his attention.</p><p>"No, really--" Gordon said, "What the fuck was that?"</p><p>"Keep your voice down," Alyx said, "She'll hear us."</p><p>"<em>She</em>?"</p><p>"I don't know the specifics of messed up alien biology," Barney said, "but at some point, if you leave a headcrab alone long enough they get big. Like, real big."</p><p>"Great," he muttered, casting a nervous glance down the hallway, "How important is this, Xenium? Was it? Like, actually."</p><p>"We need to get it," Alyx said, "and this is our best option."</p><p>Her tone brooked no room for argument, and Gordon let out a nervous sigh as they moved down the hallway. The darkness of the hallways before had been uncomfortable when lit only by the beams of their flashlights. The flickering, partially-broken overhead lights were worse, alternating between a spluttering light and periodic momentary failures. The plunge into darkness made his breath catch each time, the anxiety heightened when the building occasionally echoed with the low cries of whatever the hell <em>she</em> was.</p><p>True to Alyx's assessment, though, there was a nearby lab, and the computer booted up with the kind of concerning sound that only a long-abandoned hard drive could make. The monitor came to life, the image wobbling slightly as the overhead lights flickered briefly. He wasn't entirely sure what Alyx <em>did</em>, as she pulled out a small object that sparked briefly next to the computer's tower. The screen blinked for a moment before booting, the system loading with an ease at odds with how long it'd been abandoned.</p><p>"Let's see what we can find here..." she murmured, and Gordon cast another uneasy look to the door of the lab as something in the distance shifted, "Got it."</p><p>"That was fast," Gordon said, peeking over her shoulder. She'd pulled up a map of the facility as well as a few internal documents, scrolling through them as she spoke.</p><p>"This system's a lot like the one at White Forest--which makes sense but means all those old security flaws we had to patch are still here."</p><p>"Yeah, but still, that was what-- three seconds?" he asked, trying to make sense of the layout. This place seemed to go pretty deep, although they'd already covered a fair amount of ground themselves. Alyx smiled slightly at his surprised reaction but moved quickly on to point to a room a few levels from the bottom.</p><p>"We're here," she said, and then she pointed to another room a few levels down, "Their payload prep area was down here."</p><p>"Do we actually know if there's anything down there?" Barney asked. Alyx shook her head with a nervous frown.</p><p>"Not a clue. We're gonna have to go check on our own," she replied. Gordon stared at the building layout for a moment longer. On the same floor as the area she'd indicated was a large, unmarked room. It was considerably bigger than anything else around it, the entrance to it a separate lift on its own.</p><p>"What's that?" he asked. Alyx looked at it for a moment and then shrugged.</p><p>"Storage? Couldn't be testing for the rockets, there's no way to get them out."</p><p>Gordon let out a hum at that, although his train of thought was interrupted when there was another distant cry. It was louder than it'd been before, and he nervously glanced at the door again.</p><p>"Guess it doesn't matter," he said, "Let's go before this thing finds us."</p><p>--</p><p>The low, moaning cries were the only sound as they made their way further down into the belly of the facility. Alyx and Barney seemed as tense as Gordon felt, which only put him more on edge. Gordon tried to give himself an inner pep talk-- he'd already killed those giant tentacles, and the massive Golem Ape. <em>None of the rooms here could fit anything that big, so how bad could it be, Gordon? It's just a big headcrab, they're not even that scary--</em></p><p>There was another sound, and this time the stairs shook slightly as something passed nearby. Okay. Maybe he was a little terrified.</p><p>They finally reached the lowest level, one unassuming door standing between them and whatever the hell this thing was. Alyx took a steadying breath before she pushed it open.</p><p>This area of the facility was in significantly worse condition than everywhere else. Parts of the ceiling had collapsed, some of the rubble forming awkward paths between levels. That damage had knocked out many of the lights, casting the hallways into alternating bands of light and dark. Most of the windows into the labs seemed to have been broken long ago, and there were periodic large scuff marks on the walls like something large had shoved its way through. That was all... unnerving, but fine. What was less fine (and also gross) was that many of the surfaces seemed to be covered in some kind of web-like film. Gordon poked at a bit on the wall curiously, and while it tore easily it stuck to his fingers like spider silk. He let out a small noise of disgust as he tried to wave it off.</p><p>They were carefully picking their way through the hallway, mostly empty except for the occasional baby headcrab, when suddenly they heard another distant rumble. And then a closer one. And then it finally solidified into a pattern, the sound like the gallop of a massive horse. For just a moment, it stopped. Then, with a crash, a massive spike drove through the ceiling, support collapsing as something crashed down. Their small group leapt apart, Gordon scrambling back to the corner of a lab on one side of the hall while Barney and Alyx regrouped on the other.</p><p>There was another elephantine cry, the sound followed by a series of angry, sharp clicks. The large spike moved again, and-- oh, shit. That was a leg. A giant, spike-like leg. It was easily two feet taller than Gordon, and he felt himself freeze as another large leg came into view, the creature righting itself from the fall.</p><p>It--<em>She?</em>-- was massive, with a large crab-like shell covering her body that sat atop four legs. Her fleshy underbelly was swollen, hanging low enough to almost brush the ground and quivering as she moved. In just about any other situation he would have laughed at how ridiculous the thing looked, but as it was he was a mere ten feet away or so and she had legs that could probably impale him purely by accident.</p><p>She shuffled around, her shell gleaming maroon in the low lighting of the hallway as she let out another series of clicks and turned side to side. She didn't seem to see them, yet-- he wasn't sure she had eyes, actually-- and as she moved back and forth it was hard to tell which way she was exactly... looking?</p><p>Suddenly she turned towards him, and he could feel his breath catch in his throat. She moved closer, her legs bumping into the low edge of a wall where a window once had been. The creature let out a sound that maybe could have been generously described as an annoyed grumble, stumbling for a moment. She then promptly lifted a leg and smashed the wall to bits with a single swipe.</p><p>Behind her, he could see Alyx trying to catch his attention. She gestured to the door, and Gordon hoped in the low light that she could see how incredulous his stare was. The creature took another step forward. Alyx moved first, creeping forward towards the doorway. She wasn't entirely silent, rubble crunching under her feet, but it didn't seem to be enough to attract the creature's attention. She paused for Barney to join her, the two giving him an anxious look as the creature took another step towards him.</p><p>Gordon moved away from the creature, practically silent. He had barely even shifted when several things happened very rapidly in sequence:</p><p>The creature let out an enraged roar, snapping to face his direction. Gordon, realizing he now had the <em>sole</em> attention of something bigger than a truck, decided that stealth time was over and it was time to run. He scrambled backwards, and behind the creature there was the loud <em>crack</em> of a shotgun. She paused, just barely, but that was enough for Gordon to get his feet under him and dash for the door. A massive leg slammed into his way, and despite alarmed shouts from across the hall she didn't turn towards the other two at all.</p><p>He backpedaled, left hand going to the trigger on the Tau. It hummed in response, the charge building, and he fired as she attempted to swipe at him, the shot striking true into the massive target that was her soft belly. She let out a pained cry, stumbling, and Gordon dashed past her through the new hole in the wall she'd created. She quickly pursued, not even stopping to consider Alyx and Barney as she came out into the hall despite another shotgun blast going into her side. It seemed she'd chosen her target.</p><p>This made a terrible, <em>terrible</em> plan form in Gordon's brain.</p><p>"Guys," he said loudly, tensing as she focused on him, "We have to-- we gotta split up. She's just going to keep pinning us like this."</p><p>"Are you <em>nuts!?</em>" Barney retorted, equally as loud. The creature didn't even seem to notice, "If we do that, she'll kill us!"</p><p>"And if we don't, she'll just--" he nervously started to back up as she took a step forward, "You guys go find this crystal! I'll distract her," he said, waving the cannon in emphasis.</p><p>"Gordon, <em>wait</em>--" Alyx said, but he'd already backed up away from them, the cannon humming with another shot.</p><p>"I'll catch up! Get going!" Gordon yelled as he fired another shot. The creature roared, and charged, and Gordon had about two milliseconds to realize this was the worst plan he had <em>ever</em> had before he had to start running. He could hear twin shouts of his name behind him, but they were quickly lost under the pounding of her gallop.</p><p>--</p><p>"Holy shit," Barney murmured as Gordon and the creature disappeared around a corner, "He's gonna fucking die."</p><p>"Okay," Alyx said, her voice thick with worry, "we need a plan. Like, a better plan than that. Because he's going to-- we can't leave him alone like that."</p><p>She thought for a moment, but she didn't really like the plan <em>she</em> came up with either.</p><p>"Do you think you can go find this lab alone?" she asked, Barney giving her a concerned look, "I'm going after him. Maybe with two of us..."</p><p>Barney let out a quick agitated sigh but nodded.</p><p>"I'll be following right after you two once I find it," he said, and he held out the shotgun in his hands to her, "Here. You'll need this more than I will."</p><p>She took it with a small, grateful smile, trading him for the pistol she'd been carrying.</p><p>"Alyx," he said, "stay safe."</p><p>"I will."</p><p>--</p><p>Gordon Freeman had made some very poor choices in his life. Going to work at Black Mesa was one of them. Bothering to get out of bed the day of the Resonance Cascade was another. Forgetting to renew his passport seemed to qualify, and the PhD was arguably up there, somewhere. <em>This</em> blew all those choices out of the water, because even getting up to start the apocalypse back home currently seemed like a much preferable alternative to what was happening right now.</p><p>The collapsed halls and piles of rubble were a blessing and curse in equal measure. The creature pursuing him clearly couldn't see well, bumping into every obstacle and pile of collapsed wall in her way, but with her mass and speed it didn't seem to matter much. Gordon would duck into a half-collapsed room, scrambling behind fallen tables and trying to catch his breath. She'd sense him, <em>somehow</em>, and inevitably she'd get frustrated from something like a wall, or a column, and she'd slam it out of existence. He'd shoot her with a laser that had turned smaller headcrabs into a gross pile of viscera, and she’d barely pause. He’d use those few valuable seconds to get to his feet and dash, and the chase would begin anew.</p><p>He'd been running randomly in a direction away from Alyx and Barney, picking his path based on what hallways had just enough light that he might be able to see a place to hide or the most options to keep going. He'd been hoping that he'd be able to lose her at some point, but no matter how deeply he hid, or how he held his breath when she passed, she would inevitably find him. He needed something better-- somewhere she couldn't go.</p><p>He cast a desperate eye to the walls as he ran, the remnants of bright stripes labeling the paths to different labs still partially visible on the walls. The words had been obscured by webbing and grime, but he could make out bits and pieces.</p><p>
  <em>PR--ULS-ON</em>
</p><p>
  <em>ELEC--ON-CS</em>
</p><p>
  <em>SPECTR-SC-PY</em>
</p><p>Wait. ...Spectroscopy? Here? The setup Black Mesa had for the kind of materials they used was <em>massive</em>, it'd need a lot of energy and space-- he thought about the giant unmarked room on the map that he'd seen before. Maybe that was a test chamber. Which meant it'd probably have multiple levels that wouldn't be easily accessible to something as big as her. Or maybe it was just a giant empty room, or a cramped storage silo, and she'd finally corner him. He was going to hope really hard for the former, because if he had to keep up this cat and mouse chase much longer he was literally going to collapse.</p><p>He practically skidded on the loose dirt as he made a hard turn to follow the bright line on the wall, hoping this wouldn’t be added to the ever-increasing list of bad decisions.</p><p>--</p><p>It wasn't exactly hard to figure out where Gordon had gone. The angry roars and thudding of the creature stopped only periodically, Alyx holding her breath each time they quieted in the halls. If she was that mad, Gordon was <em>probably</em> still fine. Probably still running. Her grip on the shotgun tightened a bit as she tracked massive gouges carved into the walls and floors. They tapered off as the hallways widened, leaving her guessing as to exactly which way they'd gone.</p><p>She entered a small, empty room, with an observation window set into one wall and panels of half-lit computers and buttons surrounding that. Nearby was a cacophonous pounding, something slamming against metal, and distantly the occasional sound of the Tau cannon firing. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard it, looking around. They sounded close, but the floor wasn't trembling as if they were nearby. A low red glow came from the window, and she peeked out curiously when she heard another shot.</p><p>The window overlooked a massive room with a floor that was far below the one she was in, lit only by red emergency lighting. She could vaguely see the outline of some massive machinery set into the center of the room and running along the walls was a series of catwalks. In the low light she could just make out the gleam of the creature's carapace, shifting as it scrabbled desperately against one of the walls. After a moment there was a small flash of orange light, the creature letting out another enraged cry as it momentarily backed off. That had to be Gordon, hiding somewhere above out of her reach.</p><p>Safe, at least momentarily. She took a closer look at the panels by the window. In the low light it was clearly a set of controls, presumably for the room it looked out on. She played with it for a moment, pressing a few buttons and hearing a surprised yelp from the chamber as bright overhead lights snapped on, the rest of the lights momentarily dimming at the strain. She could see there was in fact some large machinery set into the middle of the room, and a small catwalk was set about twenty feet high on the wall, holding some panels and machinery of its own. She looked out the window to see Gordon squinting, hand partially over his face as he looked up into the lights.</p><p>"Hello?" he called out to the room, jumping back when the creature took another leap at the wall. Alyx looked around, after a moment flicking a switch.</p><p>"Gordon?" she responded, and her voice echoed over a tinny speaker.</p><p>"Alyx!? You-- did you guys follow me?" he asked.</p><p>"Just me. Are you alright?"</p><p>"Oh, well-- there's a giant alien trying to kill me! But I-- I mean I guess that was just part of the plan so yeah! I'm great!"</p><p>She could see the way his entire body flinched as the creature slammed into the wall again, letting out another trumpeting roar.</p><p>"You, uh--" another slam, and as her clawed foot caught a ladder the sound of wrenching metal echoed as the lower half of it was torn clean from the catwalk. She could just hear his nervous laugh, "you have any ideas? Because I'm not actually sure what I'm gonna do about this."</p><p>"Not from here," she said, almost apologetic, "Do you know what this room is?"</p><p>"Uh, death pit?" he said, "Looks like an anti-mass spectrometer. God knows why it's here, though."</p><p>"Maybe for testing samples before launch?" she proposed, and Gordon scrambled back as the creature leapt again. She spat something up at him, and he let out an alarmed yelp as the catwalk was partially covered in webbing.</p><p>"Can we worry about <em>why</em> it's here later? When I'm not about to be impaled by a giant crab, maybe?"</p><p>"If it's an anti-mass spectrometer, then that means this thing is a radiation source. We could kill it."</p><p>"I mean, I'm in here too!? And I really don't want to be irradiated. I spent a lot of time in HEV training for the sole purpose of avoiding it, actually!"</p><p>"We just have to get you out of there."</p><p>"Someone has to be in here to activate it, though. And, again," he gestured with the cannon to the massive creature below him.</p><p>"Who do you think you're talking to? I'll figure something out," she said. She scanned the room below, eyes settling on a half-opened blast door. It was made of a thick layer of metal and was presumably the way the two had gotten in. A bit of fiddling with the system in front of her, and the controls for it lit up. "Gordon. Do you think you can get back to that door?"</p><p>He looked at it, and then sent a very unamused look in her general direction, "Maybe? She fit under it, though, she can get back out."</p><p>"I'll close it right behind you," she said, "just trust me, okay?"</p><p>He sighed, looking down at the desperately angry creature below him and back up at the window.</p><p>"You've asked me to do that a lot," he replied, "so you better really make it count this time, alright?"</p><p>"Alright," she agreed. She saw him take a few deep breaths before shakily pushing himself to his feet. He steadied his aim down at the creature, the hum of the Tau's charge audible. The shot hit her soft flesh and she cried in pain, staggering back. He moved the instant he fired, grabbing what little remained of the ladder and half-sliding, half-falling down to the ground. He grimaced when he landed, but another swipe that was <em>too close</em> forced him to keep moving. Alyx slammed the button for the door as he dashed for it, the door lurching to life before it started to close slowly.</p><p>He slid under it, the creature angrily scrabbling after. She couldn't fit more than her legs through, though, and as the door continued to press down she let out a pained cry and quickly backed away. She slammed at the door a few times, and when it didn't give began to pace in the large room, angrily clicking.</p><p>It didn't take much work to get into the guts of a system like this, and a moment later the spectrometer hummed as it started to warm up. The lights dimmed considerably as a bright flash of light sparked from the middle of the machine. She watched it just long enough to ensure it was working before turning away, searching for a way down to the test chamber entrance.</p><p>--</p><p>Gordon hurt, and now that he wasn't in immediate mortal peril (stupid, <em>stupid</em> idea) his body was debating the merits of passing out. That seemed like a bad idea for several reasons, namely being that this place still had lots of regular headcrabs around to ruin his life, so he let out a hiss and tried to push himself to standing. He gave up after managing to sit, although he thought maybe after running a death marathon, he could afford a few seconds of being seated.</p><p>She hadn't been able to follow him through, true to Alyx's word, but she'd managed a pretty impressive lunge and the force of the impact had shoved him roughly into the far wall. At least she hadn't impaled him, he thought. That probably would have really sucked.</p><p>He could hear footsteps nearby. Nice, regular-sounding ones, instead of ones that shook the ground with each step. He banged the Tau against the metal wall he was against, the sound echoing in the empty room, and the footsteps picked up pace.</p><p>"Gordon?" someone called, and to his surprise two people poked their faces through the side door as it hissed open.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Barney asked, a bag slung over his shoulder.</p><p>"Gordon's hurtin'," he said, "not like, the worst I’ve ever had, arm was worse-- but. <em>Please</em> tell me we're done here."</p><p>"I'm not sure amputation is the pain scale we should be using," Alyx said, helping him gently to standing. Barney proudly pulled the bag off his shoulder, unzipping it to reveal quite a few massive crystals that gleamed a gentle golden orange in the dim lights.</p><p>"We're done here," he said, "Ready to get the hell out?"</p><p>"Yeah. Wait--" he looked to Alyx, realizing that it was very... quiet around them, "did you kill her?"</p><p>Alyx shrugged. "Didn't stay to watch the show, but... with the spectrometer having run for a bit, she's probably as good as done."</p><p>"Thank <em>god</em>," Gordon sighed, "and good riddance. I'd like to never see one of those again in my life. Didn't even really want to see it the first time. Let's get out of here."</p><p>--</p><p>Gordon had never been so happy to be in a jeep in his life. He'd ended up in the back to rest, Alyx and Barney chatting idly in the front about various things he couldn't quite make out. The ache from being thrown into a wall had started to fade slightly, and it left just enough room for something to occur to him.</p><p>"Why do you think she was so dead set on coming after <em>me</em>?" he asked, perking up from where he'd been half-dozing.</p><p>"Hard to say," Alyx said, "Maybe she picks her prey and focuses on it? Maybe something about you was easier to track."</p><p>"Maybe," Barney said, "<em>someone</em> stepped on a bunch of her babies, and she knew somehow."</p><p>"Oh, like antlions," Alyx mused, "that would make sense."</p><p>"How was I supposed to know the building had a giant angry monster?" Gordon said defensively, "I didn't even know they got that big. Besides, it worked out, didn't it? We got the Xenium."</p><p>"No use in having it if you up and <em>die</em>," Barney returned, "You're just as bad as our Gordon. Not an ounce of sense in your head."</p><p>"Well, nobody's dead, we have what we needed, and Alyx got to irradiate a giant monster which is pretty cool, so it all worked out!"</p><p>"I can't believe you," Barney sighed, but it lacked any heat, "try not to do anything like that again until we get you home. Won't be dragging your sorry carcass through Xen."</p><p>"I would like <em>very much</em> for nothing like that to happen again," Gordon said, "So... deal."</p><hr/><p>"Gordon, there's only about four more hours till we reach the Lambda Lab."</p><p>Dr. Coomer had been saying that for about five hours now, but at least this time it could be true. They'd passed the first indicator about an hour back, a blazing orange lambda painted on the wall of a loading bay indicating that they were reaching the transport tunnels that led to the lab itself. Of course, between here and there was likely entirely too many aliens, but at least the goal was in sight.</p><p>"Thank god," Bubby said, "then we can all go home!"</p><p>"Perhaps the Lambda Team will even be able to help you, Gordon!" Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>Gordon gave a noncommittal shrug. They maybe could, but Gordon knew that they likely had much more pressing things on their mind, like trying to convince whatever Gordon Freeman walked through that door that he should go to Xen. They probably wouldn't listen to him trying to get them to target another dimension, if they even could, and though Xen was <em>solidly</em> ranked at the bottom of his 'places to revisit' list, he was... pretty sure he was going to end up there again. At least the Science Team had shown a flair for violence and steadfast inability to die that could <em>probably</em> carry them through hell itself, much less an alien dimension.</p><p>"Gordon," Dr. Coomer said abruptly, "we're nearing the cybernetics department."</p><p>Gordon gave him a curious glance. He'd never heard of Black Mesa having that kind of department, but then again until the Resonance Cascade he'd never heard of the alien biolab committing every ethical violation known to man. So that wasn't exactly indicative of whether it existed or not.</p><p>"Doctor Coomer," Tommy said gently, "We don't need to... to go to the cybernetics department anymore. This--this Gordon has his arm, see?"</p><p>Tommy gave Gordon a small smile combined with an expectant stare, and Gordon waved his hand slightly to accentuate the point.</p><p>"Now Tommy," Dr. Coomer said, "it's important to visit the cybernetics department!"</p><p>"B-but we don't need--"</p><p>"It's important to visit the cybernetics department!"</p><p>"But--"</p><p>"It's important!"</p><p>"Uhm," Tommy said, and he gave a nervous glance around as if anybody else in their small group might fill in for him. Benrey was--not even here, actually, disqualifying himself, and Bubby gave a long-suffering sigh.</p><p>"Let's just go there, I don't want to stand around and argue about this when we could be making actual progress," he said.</p><p>"...Okay," Tommy said with a small sigh, turning to give Gordon a slightly uncertain smile, "I-It's on the way, Mr. Freeman, don't worry. And it's a pretty cool department! They've got big robot limbs, and they make the uh--the HEV suits there? I think?"</p><p>Gordon nodded slightly uncertainly. He glanced back to Dr. Coomer, and Tommy followed his gaze.</p><p>"O-oh, don't worry about Dr. Coomer. He's just... like that? Sometimes? I'm sure you've noticed by-- by now."</p><p>"...Stubborn?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"...I was going to say repetitive?"</p><p> "Hello, Gordon!" Dr. Coomer said from where he was walking with Bubby slightly further back, "It's only about four more hours until we reach the Lambda Lab."</p><p>Gordon glanced over to Tommy, who just kind of shrugged and made a vague 'see?' gesture with his hands.</p><p>"He's always been like that, though. A-as long as I've worked here, at least. So it's nothing to worry about!"</p><p>--</p><p>Despite Dr. Coomer's claim that this was, in fact, the cybernetics department, there was a lot more... sludge than Gordon would have expected. Small walkways crossed over large vats of mystery chemicals of every color, the ooze bubbling.</p><p>"Well..." Tommy said, looking around at the vats as they ventured a bit deeper, "this--this <em>was</em> the cybernetics department..."</p><p>In the way that only Black Mesa architecture truly could, the industrial area abruptly gave way to a small lab. Gordon wondered vaguely if that was safe, with all those chemicals right nearby. Surely that wasn't up to code.</p><p>The lab itself was a bit more mundane, with a single worktable, some shelving units, and storage chests lining the walls. There was a desk with a computer pressed up against the wall, abandoned recently enough that the screensaver hadn't even activated.</p><p>There was a large fire door off to the side, opposite from where they entered and firmly closed. Gordon walked towards the lab table, looking around curiously. There were numerous chemicals of some kind in sets of vials, as well as considerably more mundane objects: an empty carton of milk, some papers with notes scribbled on them, and a few cans of soda.</p><p>"Hyeah!" someone shouted from below the desk, popping up and splashing something into Gordon's face. He flinched, a burst of surprised teal escaping from his mouth as he let out a choked yelp, and behind him he heard the rest of the Science Team let out various exclamations of surprise.</p><p>The strong smell of artificial fruit punch filled his nose, and Gordon blinked open his eyes after a moment to see a very embarrassed man half-crouched behind the table still, holding a cup. The Science Team had already closed the distance, weapons ready, when they saw him as well. He was wearing a scientist's lab coat, and he hunched back down slightly when he saw all their guns.</p><p>"D-don't shoot! I work here, I swear. Unless-unless you don't work here and you're here to kill us all, in which case I don't work here!"</p><p>"Who the hell are you?" Bubby asked, and at a non-gun response the man stood up fully, setting the cup in his hands on the table. Despite being a red solo cup that looked desperately out of place on a lab table, it had tidy black text labelling it as 'Specimen 5 – Concentrated Red Flavor'.</p><p>Gordon scrubbed at some of the liquid on his face, grimacing when it felt a little sticky. What was this, juice? What? Well, at least it hadn't been one of the many nasty chemicals most labs usually had on hand, so he counted himself lucky.</p><p>"My name is Darnold," he said, "Sorry for throwing Powerade all over you. I was working on isolating its potent effects when I heard people coming, and I've already had more than enough of the military today."</p><p>"Ah," Tommy said, "So <em>this</em> is where Black Mesa manufactures the new flavors of Powerade."</p><p>"Precisely!" Darnold said before Gordon could even <em>start</em> to parse that statement.</p><p>"So you've already encountered some of those damn bootlickers, eh?" Dr. Coomer asked, and Darnold nodded.</p><p>"Just, uh--just one. He--I'm not sure he noticed me, hiding under my desk. But he came and stole my potions, which is very rude, and he stole all my cool stuff. Not to mention he dragged some giant beast through here and it knocked over my samples, and I like that even less."</p><p>"Potions?" Bubby asked, "Isn't this the Cybernetics Department?"</p><p>"What? Oh, no. I'm the head of the Mixology Department. Cybernetics folded about a week ago."</p><p>"What kind of, of beast was it, Dr. Darnold?" Tommy asked.</p><p>"Hmm. Well, it'd be hard to describe since I was hiding, but it looked big and furry? But I'd have to say that I'm not really sure. It kept spitting color everywhere, I think it might have been sick or something."</p><p>Tommy frowned slightly at that, but after a moment he shook his head to dismiss the thought.</p><p>"Well, anyway, it's nice to meet you," he said instead, "I'm Tommy. These two are--"</p><p>"Hello, Darnold! I'm Dr. Coomer," Dr. Coomer said, "and this is Bubby."</p><p>"Bubby is kind of an odd name," Darnold said, Bubby giving him a mean look in response.</p><p>"Big words from someone named Darnold," he retorted.</p><p>"Darnold is--it can be a name."</p><p>"Then so can Bubby."</p><p>Darnold gave Gordon an expectant look, and Gordon gave a small wave as he bit down on the Voice. He'd learned from a few security guards and scientists they'd surprised already that it certainly <em>wasn't</em> normal, even if it was apparently a Black Mesa... 'invention'.</p><p>"That's Gordon," Bubby said for him, "He only talks using fucked up Black Mesa tech."</p><p>"Oh?" Darnold said, clearly interested.</p><p>"Hello," Gordon said with another small wave, and it tasted like strawberry. Tommy had translated this one, already, and Gordon had been trying to keep track of the colors out of pure curiosity. A strawberry that's fleeting meant a pleasant greeting.</p><p>Darnold jumped back at the light that he let out and the soft medium tone, eyes wide.</p><p>"It was--just like that! The big beast spat color out just like that. It made a terrible racket."</p><p>"Which way did it go?" Dr. Coomer asked, "We're on a mission to kill every member of the United State military, and if one's gotten away with a beast we need to fix it posthaste!"</p><p>"He went through that fire door. But--are you sure? That beast was pretty scary..."</p><p>"We've already killed like four things the size of a house this week," Bubby said, looking a little excited at the prospect of violence, "What's one more?"</p><p>Darnold hit the button to open the fire door and stood awkwardly by it as the Science Team shuffled out. They turned to look at him, and it was Tommy who spoke first.</p><p>"Do you... do you wanna come with, Dr. Darnold?" he asked.</p><p>"To go kill things? Oh, no. I'm already all out of potions <em>and</em> guns, and I hate violence. Good luck, though!"</p><p>He hit the fire door with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm, giving them a polite wave as it dropped between them.</p><p>--</p><p>It'd grown quiet around them, the brief interlude suggesting that they were close to the Lambda Lab itself. The hallways beyond Darnold's lab connected to a wide underground parking lot where they'd found Benrey sitting on the hood of a security van, another proud orange lambda on the wall marking the way. The lot ended in a set of thick automatic doors, meant to prevent unauthorized access.</p><p>"We made it," Gordon said, the sign accompanied by a pale yellowish tan.</p><p>"Gold like the harvest of wheat means a journey complete!" Tommy said.</p><p>"About time," Bubby said, "I want to go home."</p><p>"What's the rush?" Benrey murmured, staring up at the lambda from where he was sitting.</p><p>As they approached the doors, Gordon felt a creeping sense of... something. He couldn't really identify the sensation beyond that it felt like something was about to happen, just on the edge of his awareness. He glanced around, unnerved by the feeling, but his thoughts were derailed by a muffled sound from the other side of the doors. Bubby paused with his hand above the keypad, looking over.</p><p>"What the hell is that?" he asked.</p><p>The sound repeated a few more times, becoming a little louder and higher in pitch.</p><p>"It sounds almost like... a dog?" Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>"Wh--" Tommy looked distinctly worried, "What would a dog be doing here?"</p><p>"Perhaps it is a vicious military beast. Perhaps the one Darnold saw!" Dr. Coomer replied.</p><p>"Wouldn't it be quiet, then?" Bubby retorted, "so that we wouldn't hear it coming?"</p><p>"Maybe it's bad at its job!" Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>Tommy was frowning at the door, and after a moment he turned around abruptly to face Bubby.</p><p>"Bubby, please open that door right now!" Tommy said.</p><p>"Fine, fine." Bubby punched in the codes and the doors slowly slid apart.</p><p>Gordon remembered this room. It consisted mostly of a large elevator meant for freight trucks, with a small control room for the elevator off to the side. A large sign hung on the wall opposite the door confirmed that this was finally the Lambda Lab proper.</p><p>It was good that he remembered the approximate layout of the room, because his attention was on exactly none of those details. Instead, he froze at the small wall of turrets set up in front of the elevator, pointed right at them. He realized a moment later that no, they weren't pointed at <em>them</em>, but rather angled down and into a semicircle to face an absolutely <em>massive</em> dog.</p><p>The... golden retriever(?) was about the size of a small horse, and its nails <em>click-click-clicked</em> against the ground as it paced in a small circle. At the door opening it began to bark, blue Sweet Voice spilling from its mouth with each sound. Unlike Benrey's calm blue, however, this was a dark midnight blue, and with each bark that sense of <em>something</em> he'd felt before got a little louder, too.</p><p>The dog perked up when it saw Tommy, letting out a stream of green.</p><p>"Sunkist! S-stay!" Tommy cried, and the dog whined but didn't move any closer to them.</p><p>"Heeeey," someone said in a low monotone. Sitting on a crate behind the dog was a Marine, flicking a small device idly back and forth between his hands, "It uh, it took you guys long enough. I was thinking that I was about to get to take a chill nap."</p><p>"Look!" Dr. Coomer said, "It's the last remaining member of the U.S. Military, Fortnite!"</p><p>They'd spread out slightly in their surprise when they'd first thought the turrets were aimed at them, and that was--that was bad. Tommy was standing nervously next to Gordon, but Bubby and Coomer were on the opposite side of the room, which meant it'd be hard to coordinate anything. Benrey had managed to get all the way into the control room for the elevator, and he looked supremely unimpressed with the entire scene.</p><p>"Jade means she's afraid," Tommy said softly, "How did he--how did he even<em> get her here?</em>"</p><p>It was a fair question, and Gordon gave a slight shrug as he looked around. Benrey was looking at the various panels in front of him, apparently having lost interest with everything that was happening.</p><p>"Dis quelque chose, ou alors je vais tuer le chien!" the Marine shouted. Gordon blinked. Was that <em>French</em>?</p><p>"Let her go!" Tommy said, a slightly panicked whine inching into his voice. Dr. Coomer distantly noted that the Marine was threatening to kill the dog, which had already been made abundantly clear by the turrets.</p><p>They seemed to be in an awkward stalemate, as the man on the box hadn't made any demands of them and they were all hesitant to shoot first. His attention was firmly focused on Tommy and Gordon, though, Tommy delivering increasingly desperate requests for Sunkist to be let go and the Marine trying to get a rise out of Gordon. Presumably he had run into the other Freeman previously, although they had kind of all hated him personally during his first stint here, so it was hard to really say.</p><p>"Benrey," Gordon said, the guard glancing up at him in surprise at the hum of the Voice, "We'll distract?"</p><p>Benrey gave a curious little smile at that, although Gordon's attention was immediately diverted to the Marine.</p><p>"What was what? What'd you just do?" he snapped, and Gordon clamped his mouth shut, "I--I'll shoot the dog!"</p><p>"What was what?" Tommy asked.</p><p>"With the--hands and the--"</p><p>"That was sign language, you moron," Bubby snapped, and Gordon realized very suddenly that Bubby was now alone over there, arms crossed like he thought this entire situation wasn't even worth pulling a weapon over. "I knew you soldiers were dense, but I didn't think you were this stupid."</p><p>"No," the Marine growled, "with the--he--he's like the dog!"</p><p>"He's not--it's rude to compare someone to a dog," Tommy said, "Even if Sunkist is the <em>perfect</em> dog."</p><p>The Marine let out a long growl as he flopped back briefly on the crate. A moment later he sat back up, annoyed expression still in place.</p><p>"I--it doesn't matter, because, uh, I have the upper hand... I have the gun. And I've got the entrance to, to the--" he glanced briefly back up, "Lambda Lab. Yeah. So. All the cards!"</p><p>The crate that the Marine was sitting on was next to a military truck, and Gordon saw a brief flash of white behind him.</p><p>"You're gonna shoot a dog?" Bubby said, sneering, "That's like, comic-book level evil. It's just a dog. I know you're stupid but aim a little higher with your ambitions."</p><p>"Whu--no! It's a great plan--!" he started, only to be full-body tackled by a flash of white that was definitely Dr. Coomer. Gordon had no idea how they'd gotten behind the man without anybody noticing, but he wasn't one to look a gift ambush in the mouth.</p><p>"Bro..." Benrey said, walking up behind Dr. Coomer and leaning over the Marine, "You got, uh, you got pranked bro. Classic ambush prank. Real good stuff."</p><p>The device in his hand had gone flying when he'd been thrown, and Tommy picked it up quickly.</p><p>"C'mere, Sunkist!" he cooed, the dog giving one more nervous circle before dashing over to Tommy. She let out a happy burst of strawberry as she trotted over.</p><p>"No... my plan was super good..." the Marine said, and Bubby scoffed.</p><p>"No, it wasn't. Did you even have a goal, or were you just trying to be a goddamn nuisance?"</p><p>"I was gonna—I'm here to dispel the rumors, that HA!" he struck out a leg that hit a lever on the elevator, the machine lurching to life with the Marine, Benrey, and Dr. Coomer on board, "Great escape!"</p><p>"He--isn't he still pinned?" Gordon asked as the elevator started to lower. Tommy nodded, watching it disappear over the edge.</p><p>"We'll, uh... we'll catch up with them when the elevator comes back up?" Tommy offered.</p><p>--</p><p>When the second half of their group got down to the bottom of the elevator shaft after an excruciating wait for the lift to return and descend again, the Marine was gone. Gordon blinked, looking around as if that would give him some answer. He could see a ladder leading to a closed door, and some crates. Not a lot of places to hide.</p><p>"Where'd he go?" Gordon finally asked, Tommy repeating the question a moment later.</p><p>"He made his great escape!" Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>"Well, alright. Can't win them all," Bubby agreed immediately. Gordon repeated the question, confusion apparent on his face.</p><p>"I told you, Gordon, he made a great escape! He was needed elsewhere," Dr. Coomer said, as if that explained anything.</p><p>"He's uh. He's gone, bro," Benrey said.</p><p>Everyone seemed ready to just... accept this, and Gordon sighed as he leaned against the crate. He looked at the giant dog, wondering just how she got that big. She had leapt into Tommy's arms, and he was somehow managing to hold her massive body as she wriggled excitedly in his grasp.</p><p>"Good girl, Sunkist, good girl! So brave!" Tommy crooned, the dog barking happily and filling the room with a bright blue light.</p><p>Tommy let her down and she approached Gordon, who reached up curiously and offered a hand to her. She sniffed it, tail wagging, and gave it a few licks. She did a small spin before settling down in the midst of their group. Somehow, when she wasn't moving, she looked strangely... flat, like the light didn't hit her quite correctly. She shifted, rolling onto her side, and the illusion was gone.</p><p>"This is all very tender," Dr. Coomer said, "but what are we going to do with a dog?"</p><p>"Well, I mean, she is the <em>perfect</em> dog," Tommy said.</p><p>"Yeah, perfect for walking into military traps," Bubby grumbled under his breath.</p><p>"Do we have a choice?" Gordon asked, "It's not like we can just send her home."</p><p>"Oh! Now that you mention it, that's--that's no problem, Mr. Freeman. I guess that maybe this place is a bit too dangerous for a dog."</p><p>Gordon ruffled the fur between Sunkist's ears, having no idea where this was going to go.</p><p>"Okay, Sunkist!" Tommy said, and the dog perked up immediately, "You gotta go home!"</p><p>Gordon felt it. Something in the air shifted, ever so slightly, and then a small hole in reality slid open like a train door. Sunkist gave a happy bark, and Tommy ruffled her ears one more time.</p><p>"Say hi to dad for me, okay?" he asked, the dog trotting through the doorway. It slid back closed, and there was a moment of silence. What the hell. <em>What</em>. Gordon simply stared.</p><p>"Huh," Benrey said, "...cool."</p><p>"What a well-trained dog that was," Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>Gordon had literally no response ready for what had just happened, and it must have shown in his expression because Tommy offered him a reassuring smile.</p><p>"Don't worry, Mr. Freeman--it's just a, a little trick my dad showed me to get her home when she gets lost."</p><p>It was probably supposed to be comforting, but as several pieces rapidly slid into place Gordon found that he didn't find much comfort in it at all.</p><p>--</p><p>Large groups were rarely the place to start discussions about interdimensional businessmen, and so Gordon waited until they took a break for the evening to say anything about it. He waffled for a bit on how to approach this topic, before deciding that he'd just... say it, and see what happened.</p><p>"What's up, Mr. Freeman?" Tommy asked. He'd settled down near the large doors that would lead into the Lambda Core--a protected enclave and quick escape all in one.</p><p>"It's you," he said quietly, the color a dusty blue. "You're the-- your father is the man in the suit."</p><p>"Uh, lots-- lots of men wear suits, Mr. Freeman," Tommy said, although he averted his gaze to the ground, only lifting it when Gordon spoke again.</p><p>"You know who I mean. The man who brought me here."</p><p>"I, uh-- not. Exactly."</p><p>"Tommy, <em>please</em>," Gordon said, the color the green-yellow of light through trees, and Tommy seems to shrink just a little further into himself, "If you know something, please tell me."</p><p>"My father-- my father wasn't the one who brought you here," he finally murmured, "I was."</p><p>A bit of teal escapes from him as Gordon comes up short. But then, Tommy had been the one who'd found him, hadn't he? Just by pure coincidence in a facility as <em>large</em> as Black Mesa, he'd been searching for a Freeman and happened to find him. He knew better than to trust coincidences like that. They always had just a bit of orchestration behind them.</p><p>"I didn't mean to," he continued, hands coming up to nervously fidget, "bring you here, that is. He, uhm, he offered to give us something to-- help, with Mr. Freeman. A man who looks just like my father, but isn't. Maybe I shouldn't have, have trusted him just because of that... but I didn't think he meant that he'd replace the other Mr. Freeman entirely."</p><p>"So... he was the one who did this?"</p><p>"I guess I-- I helped? Uhm... I'm really sorry, Mr. Freeman."</p><p>A beat of silence passed between them. Tommy hadn't been meeting his gaze, flicking his eyes up occasionally to check the color of his Voice but otherwise keeping his stare fixed on the ground.</p><p>Gordon felt like he should probably be upset. Getting yanked around by the man in the suit was always upsetting in its own way, and for once he knew precisely who was responsible for it. And yet... he'd heard the way they occasionally talked about the other Freeman. The entire Team missed him, genuinely. Even Tommy. Especially Tommy? Perhaps he'd been even more concerned, knowing better than the others what might have happened. Maybe that was the reason he'd been so aggressively nice to Gordon.</p><p>Then again, maybe he was just nice. Maybe he hadn't meant for this to happen at all, and he'd been making up for it by trying to help.</p><p>"So... you made some kind of deal with him to help with what, the other Freeman's injury?" Gordon prodded after a long silence. Tommy glanced up, surprised, and then shook his head.</p><p>"I-I mean, that would've been really <em>nice</em> of him, but that's not-- you probably know that's not the kind of work he does. The deal was..." Tommy trailed off as he tried to find his words, letting out an uncertain hum, "it was about Benrey."</p><p>"Yo, Tommy," Benrey said, having appeared behind Gordon without any sound. He jumped and span around, and Benrey looked unimpressed as his neutral gaze slid over to Tommy, "Whatcha, uh, whatcha talking about here? You talking about your good pal Benrey? Did Benrey hear his name yes?"</p><p>"...Yeah," Tommy replied, "You see, Mr. Freeman, Benrey isn't-- he isn't human, exactly?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah, we already to-- hmm," Benrey said, "told the Old Freeman. Didn't tell you. Oops. Didn't-- didn't give you all the sweet lore."</p><p>"Benrey's in a bit of trouble," Tommy added, "but--but he's too stubborn to ask for help."</p><p>"Okay, one, don't need help, everything is—totally handled." Benrey returned petulantly, "Second, my plans are, super super good. Plans that make uh, make all of Old Freeman's plans look like garbage. Because they were. Besides," and at this he gave Tommy a glare, "Train's left the stations. Plans already, uh-- they're done deal. Set. Can't change anything about it."</p><p>"You don't <em>know</em> that," Tommy returned with irritation, shifting his attention back to Gordon, "He's from... hm, how to describe it to someone who's never been..."</p><p>"Xen?" Gordon prompted, taking a shot in the dark and <em>really</em> hoping there wasn't another pocket dimension waiting to complicate all of this. The word had the taste of strange plants and thick water, a bit too uncomfortably close to the sensation of being there.</p><p>"Whoa, uh, advanced vocab," Benrey said, "Who taught you that word?"</p><p>"Been there," Gordon replied, grimacing slightly, "Not a fan."</p><p>At that Benrey let out a short bark of a laugh, composing himself after a moment.</p><p>"It is so... the <em>worst</em>. But, uh, was a pretty cool house. Totally bailing though, got, uh, super aggro new management..."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Ugh, dude, remember? Roll with things, fewer questions please? Xen is uh, my cool place where I live. Stole it from some... big fuckin' dude. Totally great. Should've seen it, very, uh, super nice. But uh-- got some new arrivals, and they're--"</p><p>Benrey broke off there, letting out a bit of the Voice in a rich green color. The accompanying sound was wavering and uncertain, matching the look on his face, and Benrey clamped down on it harshly, quickly schooling himself back to a neutral expression. Gordon had seen that color earlier, from Sunkist. Jade meant afraid.</p><p>"...s'not great," is what he finally said. Tommy gave him a sympathetic look that was met with a firm stare, as if daring either of them to say anything about the color.</p><p>Even upon a closer inspection, Benrey didn't really look... <em>not</em> human. Not in the way the Vortigaunts did, or most of the creatures that lived on Xen. But then, Benrey said he'd <em>moved</em> to Xen, hadn't he? So he was from somewhere else entirely. Perhaps from yet another dimension, like Gordon, both equally displaced from their home.</p><p>But then again, Tommy was apparently the child of... whatever the man was, and he also looked like a normal human. So it wasn't exactly like that was a metric of anything.</p><p>"Someone's trying to get into Xen," Tommy said, looking a bit sheepish when he added, "Uh, aside from-- from Black Mesa. Someone actually... important?"</p><p>Well, fair enough. The survey teams had made a bit of trouble, but certainly not enough to really qualify as <em>threatening</em>. Not with things like the Controllers and Vortigaunts living there.</p><p>"What does this have to do with the deal you made?" Gordon asked. Tommy gave Benrey a glance that looked almost annoyed as he explained.</p><p>"Neither of them are-- they're not very good with, with their words. He and Mr. Freeman were going to end up hurting each other," Tommy said, "Keeping my friends safe... <em>that</em> was the deal."</p><p>Gordon considered this. Benrey was looking distinctly uncomfortable at having his issues laid out by Tommy, a bit more of the deep green Sweet Voice escaping. There was another sensation, like he'd felt with Sunkist's barking earlier-- like the slightest shifting of something under his skin, the faintest thrill of fear, but as soon as it came it was gone.</p><p>"Bro, you traded our Old Freeman for a corn chip? For, uh, new Mr. Can't Talk? Doctor Bad Vibes?"</p><p>"Benrey--" Tommy started, but Benrey continued.</p><p>"Interfering always? Don't <em>need</em> Xen. They can have it, it's sucks. Doesn't matter. I'm just trying to-- I just wanna chill, and Old Freeman was always, always refusing to just let up, and now you're-- ugh, not cool. Totally not-- not a friend move."</p><p>"You're both my friends," Tommy said gently. "And it's-- I-- I didn't want to see this ending with someone getting hurt. Besides, don't you think that protecting your home is a pretty good ending, too?"</p><p>"That's not for you to decide!" Benrey snapped, his voice raising out of its monotone for a moment, "Not for you to-- to meddle with Gordon."</p><p>"...I know," Tommy replied quietly.</p><p>"Don't even-- don't even know where he went," Benrey said, "Gordon-- Gordon Goneman."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"Tommy," Gordon said, having finished an internal debate of his options and easing back into the conversation before Benrey became further agitated, "What, exactly, was the deal?"</p><p>"Huh?" Tommy asked, "I told you--"</p><p>"A deal involves payment," Gordon replied quickly, a bright orange blaze to white like ice. <em>Everything always has a price.</em> Tommy shook his head.</p><p>"I-- I dunno. I mean, he took the other Mr. Freeman...but he didn't actually say."</p><p>Maybe that was his goal? Maybe he was just going to-- start a collection. That was a weird and uncomfortable thought, so he shook it off.</p><p>"If I help you with whatever's happening in Xen, if I keep up that half of the deal," Gordon said, "do you think you could get me home?"</p><p>"I'm-- I might be able to get you home. From Xen. Not from here," Tommy said softly.</p><p>Benrey clicked his tongue impatiently.</p><p>"Still doesn't help with the problem of Old Freeman," Benrey said, "still dunno where he is."</p><p>"If-- if the deal's finished, he might show back up. For Mr. Freeman," Tommy said, "We might be able to, uh-- to talk to him then."</p><p>Something about the way Tommy used the word 'talk' in that sentence made Gordon think it would involve very little conversation and a lot of Tommy's extreme trigger finger.</p><p>"Gotta come, uh, collect the rental. You get yanked around by suits a lot, Freeman?" Benrey asked, giving him a curious look. He frowned when Gordon didn't answer, "Yes?"</p><p>"Not in a while," Gordon said, glancing away.</p><p>"Oh," Tommy said, and he sounded <em>really</em> guilty, "Well-- I-- I think I had to help him. To get you here. So maybe if we get you home on our own, he-- he'll leave you alone again?"</p><p>"Idiot keeps sticking his nose in, uh, questions and shit. Getting into trouble. Can't let anything be," Benrey said, "Gotta go to, uh, to Xen to try any stupid plans you got."</p><p>Gordon wasn't sure if that had been an agreement to help him or not, and before he could ponder it too long Benrey turned to lean in just a bit too close.</p><p>"You ready to go back to Xen, Vibesman? Excited?"</p><p>"Excited is probably too strong a word," Gordon returned dryly, a wry smile on his face. It was hard to tell if it was a deliberate change of topic or just... Benrey, but he took it either way.</p><p>"Gonna meet, uh, all of the cool awesome creatures? Gonna fight new management, huh? Stick it to some authority? See some foliage?" Benrey continued, and as he talked a bit of Xen the Sweet Voice overlapped his words, the musical tones almost drowning out his speech and a series of colors spilling from his lips.</p><p>And, again, that sensation under his skin. If using the Voice was the metaphorical equivalent of reaching out to grab at fabric, this was someone tugging at threads under his fingers, sliding string through his hands.</p><p>"See, uh... neat trees... with killer lighting systems, man." Benrey said, and despite his previous insistence that he didn't care about Xen, his tone sounded <em>almost</em> fond.</p><p>"I've been there, I think you're really overselling this," Gordon said with a small breathy laugh, "You're leaving out the giant murderous tentacles. And the murderous shark pits. And the murderous trees." Benrey barked out another laugh.</p><p>"No, man, they're... they're part of the charm. Adds character."</p><p>Tommy had been quiet for a bit while they talked, presumably in his own thoughts and perhaps still feeling a bit guilty. At Benrey's response, though, he looked over, surprise clear on his face.</p><p>"Mr. Freeman," he said, "did you understand him? This whole time?"</p><p>Gordon looked over in mild confusion, nodding. Benrey rolled his eyes as he looked at Tommy.</p><p>"Uh, duh, baby can't understand real things, so I was using my words, thank you," he said.</p><p>"That wasn't... that was just Sweet Voice," Tommy replied, "You haven't been talking for a while."</p><p>Benrey turned to look at Gordon consideringly, head cocked slightly as he took him in. Gordon was reminded of when they'd first met, when the guard had circled him suspiciously.</p><p>The steady tune of Benrey's Voice had dropped again to an uncertain hum, the color a vibrant blue that faded to the deep grey of an angry sea. This time, the message was loud and clear: <em>You are not as you should be.</em></p><p>Gordon didn't really know what to do with that. "You're both-- apparently from another dimension, and <em>I'm</em> strange?"</p><p>"Well, Mr. Freeman," Tommy said, "technically you're from another dimension, too."</p><p>"Humans can't-- speak, can't read it." Benrey said, "You're, uh, too weird. Got Xen cooties or something. Weirdo."</p><p>There was an unspoken question there, a big 'why', but that was something Gordon didn't know how to answer.</p><p>"M-maybe we can figure it out, if we can get him home!" Tommy offered, and Benrey sighed before turning away, idly inspecting the area.</p><p>"Yeah, gotta get freaky human back to freaky human dimension. And then he can tell us why they're all <em>weird</em>."</p><p>Well. That was sort of a statement of intent. Still, something about their barely-formed plan didn't quite sit right. Benrey had been incredibly vague about who or what, exactly, the 'new management' was, and he felt unease settle in his gut.</p><p><em>Especially</em> with Xen, things were rarely ever simple.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Xenotherium</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>White Forest had descended into a furious flurry of activity in the days since raiding the research facility turned headcrab nest. Gordon had been put back to work in the lab while healing from his bangs and scrapes, double checking equations and monitoring tests. The center of the lab had been firmly claimed by a mess of technology and sprawling wiring, Xenium crystals nestled somewhere within the collection of machines. Even the previously dormant teleporter pulsed slowly with energy, metal shifting occasionally as it underwent calibration.</p><p>Where it had been quiet before the hum of laser generators now filled the space with a constant white noise. Alyx was in and out, occasionally showing up with a Vortigaunt as she took the lead in planning how this would all work once they <em> got </em> to Xen. And, of course, there was still the occasional spat between Kleiner and Magnusson to add to the ambience.</p><p>It was a bit overwhelming, really, particularly when Gordon remembered that all of this effort was centered around helping him when there were almost certainly more productive things they could be doing. He didn't know precisely what those things would've <em> been </em>, but he was pretty sure that there were better uses for scientists after a few alien invasions than worrying about some dimensionally-displaced guy they'd found.</p><p>It was <em> also </em>overwhelming to think that they were preparing for a trip to some little side-dimension. While normally he'd try to push that thought away for future Gordon to deal with, today had found him in Alyx's lab, discussing the final details.</p><p>The plan was (relatively) simple: get to Xen, don't die in the massive alien dimension full of creatures, get to some location, and then a Vortigaunt would do... something and tear a hole in reality and that would get him home. And then he'd go find Benrey and beat him to death with the Tau Cannon.</p><p>Easy, and definitely not a plan with an ever-increasing list of ways it could go wrong. He tried to keep telling himself that it'd be fine. He'd already met the Vortigaunt that would be coming with them, and the species as a whole had an unshakable calm that inspired confidence even where Gordon didn't really think it was warranted.</p><p>"Y'know, we don't normally get this much time with the teleporter to actually set things up. If the Combine were in the area, they'd have long since picked up on the testing we're doing," Alyx mused as she put the final touches on the HEV suit. Or at least Gordon assumed they were the final touches, as she'd ushered him into the undersuit not too long before.</p><p>It was looking significantly better than the first few times he'd seen it out for repair. Then it had been in pieces and scattered across one of the longer tables, electronics exposed and pulled out into a maze of delicately placed wires. Now, aside from the panel with the lambda that was sitting next to the chest piece, it had been reassembled.</p><p>"Was... that supposed to make me feel more confident, Alyx?" Gordon asked, "Because really it's only made me a little more concerned about what qualifies as 'enough testing' around here."</p><p>"What, don't trust your own work?" she teased, "...but really. It's gonna be fine, Gordon."</p><p>With that she picked up the front plate and clicked it into place, taking a moment to inspect her work before she turned towards him.</p><p>"That should do it," she said, "ready for action."</p><p>"I didn't think it'd gotten that beat up at Black Mesa..." Gordon said.</p><p>"Well, aside from patching up the arm, I had a few modifications of my own to make."</p><p>She waved him towards the suit in a vague indication that he should put it on, sorting the pile of HEV parts as she searched for something.</p><p>He noted idly that the harsh slice through the forearm of the HEV had been... well, not repaired, precisely, but the metal had been buffed so that it wouldn't dig into his skin. There was even a pleasing, if mismatched, shade of orange applied to the edge to blend it in.</p><p>"If today's tests are all green Kleiner thinks we're looking at Xen as soon as tomorrow," Alyx said, "I'm sure you're anxious to get home, so... I don't have time to do as proper a fitting for this as I'd like."</p><p>"Fitting? Didn't they already do that kind of stuff at Black Mesa?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"Probably," Alyx agreed, "but they didn't have to modify your suit to play nice with <em> this </em>."</p><p>He looked up to see what 'this' was. Alyx held something dark and lumpy in her hands, her expression unabashedly proud as she offered it out for him to see. One of the gloves of the HEV suit-- wait, no. It was a hand, he realized. It was just a whole metal hand?</p><p>The first thing he noticed was how carefully it had been crafted. Despite how... improvisational tech could be around here, the metal had been delicately shaped, the edges beveled so that they wouldn't catch. The form of it was distinctly reminiscent of the HEV's outer layers, thin plating overlocking over a polymer fabric. She let him take it from her, and he turned it about to examine it.</p><p>Unlike the Tau this didn't have a strap to counterbalance it, probably because it was significantly lighter. Instead there was what looked like a mechanical connection, and then another port that he couldn't immediately place.</p><p>"Training you up on how to use this normally would take us... a while, and you're still not going to get as much from it as from your hand," Alyx continued, "Fortunately for you, that suit of yours is tracking every twitch of your muscles and neurons."</p><p>"Which means what, precisely?" Gordon asked, letting Alyx take his forearm and the hand.</p><p>"The HEV suit is a smart system," she said, "it maps your movement and nerve impulses to decide the best way the suit should move to help support those tasks more effectively."</p><p>Gordon gave her a blank look, clearly waiting for her to continue.</p><p>She held up his forearm so he could see as she attached the mechanical part of the brace, and then shoved the arm plating up to expose a small port that the hand hooked into. She shoved the forearm piece back forward, and the small voice of the HEV suit piped up happily that it'd found a new interface.</p><p>"HEV suit off, it's a normal prosthetic," Alyx explained, "HEV suit on, the system recognizes the movement, and..."</p><p>She let go, and Gordon gave a hopeful experimental grab. The fingers closed, the lack of sensation strange but the movement causing his heart to jump.</p><p>"...there we go. From support to operation."</p><p>He tapped his fingers against his thumb a few times, flexing the hand.</p><p>"Alyx," he said, voice soft with surprise, "How? What? You-- it's been like, a month. How'd you make this so fast?"</p><p>"You think you're the first person in White Forest to need a new limb?" she asked, "I pulled a few favors. They're going to be pretty confused when they see that <em> our </em> Gordon's not missing his right hand, but... you know. Always happy to help."</p><p>She shoved the other forearm brace at him, a silent instruction to keep putting it all on.</p><p>"Besides, Barney let me trade off a few days of sorting salvage to work on this, and this was way more fun."</p><p>Gordon laughed at that, finally pausing in his fascinated hand testing as something occurred to him.</p><p>"Okay, not that I'm not <em> super </em> grateful, but why does it need the HEV suit?" he asked, "If it's like, some kind of mapping or whatever-- couldn't you separate those controls out?"</p><p>"You want to dig through that thing's AI until you find the exact waveforms out of a few million that make the hand move, be my guest."</p><p>"...Fair enough."</p><p>--</p><p>The crystal array hummed with life as Gordon fidgeted nervously with one of the latches on the HEV suit. Alyx was running a few last minute checks, seemingly satisfied with whatever she saw on the readouts she was examining. He'd already verified his own work as well as he could and was now resigned to watching the bustling lab as the HEV suit's voice gently complained in his ear about the latch flicking open and shut.</p><p>"Okay," Alyx said, letting out a small steadying breath before she double checked her pistol and glanced over to him with an encouraging smile, "You ready?"</p><p>Gordon shoved the latch closed with a soft <em> 'click' </em>. "As I'll ever be," he said.</p><p>"The Freeman need not be concerned," a voice added. Gordon turned to look at their travelling companion, a Vortigaunt that everyone called Kolya, "for he finds himself in the most capable protection of the Alyx Vance."</p><p>Alyx gave a slightly amused laugh at that, although she didn't deny it.</p><p>"You all be safe, okay?" Barney said, leaning against the wall and watching the teleporter distrustfully.</p><p>"You sure you don't wanna come with, Barney?" Alyx asked.</p><p>"<em>Hell </em> no. I got enough of Xen the first time around, thank you very much."</p><p>"Enough chattering, we can't keep this powered all day," Magnusson said, although he was flicking through their measurements with a speed that seemed <em> almost </em> nervous, Uriah watching quietly over his shoulder. Kleiner was right behind them, hands twisting anxiously before he brought Alyx into a quick hug.</p><p>"Be careful, you three," he said, "Nobody's been to Xen in... quite some time, but we have little reason to believe it's gotten much safer."</p><p>"I kinda feel like 'safe' and 'alien dimension' are mutually incompatible anyway," Gordon said. Barney gave a snort.</p><p>"Pretty sure for <em> you </em> that includes us too, yeah?" he asked.</p><p>"Well, I did almost get turned into Swiss cheese by an overgrown headcrab that could smell my fear," Gordon said, "and that was, like, comparatively? Really only a moderate level of danger in this world! So yeah. You guys count too. Unsafe alien dimension."</p><p>"Got me there," Barney shrugged, amused. Gordon laughed, although after a moment it trailed off as he gave them all a contemplative look.</p><p>"Look, uh... I know that this is going to help you guys find your Freeman too, or whatever, but... it's not like you knew that when we started all this, and--" he fumbled for words briefly, running a hand through his hair, "--and the <em> hand? </em>--"</p><p>Alyx cut him off before he could flounder any longer. "Gordon, you don't have to--"</p><p>"No, it's--" he said, "I just...uh. Thanks. Not gonna pretend this Earth isn't... kind of a wreck? But... the people aren't bad. Could've done a lot worse. Probably could have ended up in a dimension that was just sharks or something."</p><p>Or simply bled out before he was found. He guessed that could have happened. He considered this thought for just a moment before deciding to never think of it again, staunchly trying to ignore the ache in his forearm.</p><p>"Hell, Gordon, don't get sappy on us," Barney said, "We couldn't exactly hang someone out to dry like that. Especially not a Gordon Freeman."</p><p>"Feel like that attitude should apply to scenarios a bit less complicated than this."</p><p>"Barney's right, Gordon," Kleiner added, "It's quite a recent development that we'd be able to help someone in your, ah... <em> situation </em>, and one must always leap at such opportunities! Should you ever need our services again, you know where to find us."</p><p>"Really don't," Gordon said with a breathy laugh, "but okay."</p><p>"Though such an occurrence would undoubtedly mean trouble for all of us," Magnusson added, "Again."</p><p>"Magnusson--" Kleiner started, but Gordon waved him off.</p><p>"I'm with him on this one, actually. Let's just hope I never need to take you guys up on that. I think that between this and Black Mesa, I might-- yeah, no, I've <em> definitely </em> had my fill of weird shit for the rest of my life."</p><p>Gordon gave a glance to the teleporter, the lab abuzz with the energy powering it. Though that, Xen, whatever that might actually be like. And further beyond that, home, which... truly <em> anything </em> could have happened to since he left. Only one way to find out.</p><p>"We'll be back soon, okay? Well," Alyx glanced at Gordon, "hopefully not <em> all </em> of us."</p><p>The platform for the teleporter shook as they stepped onto it, the gates pressing them uncomfortably close to each other as they shut. Gordon gave a brief wave with his new hand.</p><p>"Thank you," he said. Uriah looked up at him, head bobbing in a farewell as Kleiner finished the final few adjustments. And then, with a crack like thunder, everything turned a searing green. Gordon flinched as--</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>--the turrets snapped to attention abruptly in front of the doors, barrels following the Science Team for a moment before a tired looking scientist peeked up from behind his small fortification of storage crates. The turrets dropped, pointing at the ground as the glass doors hissed open.</p><p>"Gordon Freeman?" the scientist asked after a moment, "You-- actually made it all the way here?"</p><p>Gordon nodded, fighting down the strange sense of déjà vu as he stepped into the small staging area that was used for teleporting to Xen. It hadn't been that long since he'd been here the first time, and here he was once more, the Science Team right behind him and a collection of exhausted scientists milling around.</p><p>"The rocket you launched has connected to the array Black Mesa had set up, but it's still not enough to close the rift," one of the scientists started, "The readings we're getting from the remaining survey sites suggest a massive amount of energy is crossing between that other dimension, Xen, and our own. We suspect that there is some sort of... being on the other side of this rift, who is responsible for keeping our dimensions enmeshed. Regrettably, it seems that someone must kill it."</p><p>An expectant silence followed, all eyes on Gordon as they waited for a response. The words carried the same weight they had the first time he'd heard them, stress and fear lacing the scientist's voice. He paused for just a moment, gathered himself with a slow breath, and then resolutely nodded.</p><p>--</p><p>A discussion with the exhausted and mildly irate security guard standing in front of the armory found the Science Team with fresh supplies. Gordon and a scientist were currently trying to figure out how to attach the long-jump module, the modified shoulders of the Mk. V blocking where it would have easily slotted into the back of the Mk. IV.</p><p>"Of all the modifications for AnMat to make..." she groused, "it was bad enough that Gina and Colette had the paint requests... but what is this even supposed to <em> do </em>?"</p><p>Gordon gave a vague shrug, stumbling as a hard shove from the scientist finally forced the backpack-like device into place, the HEV suit chirping happily.</p><p>"<em>Finally </em>. You had training for this, right?"</p><p>She didn't actually wait to hear his answer, immediately going to assist another scientist with the teleporter preparations. Gordon looked back to his companions, who seemed to have finished stripping the armory of all its ammo. Tommy came up to him, gun swinging too close to his face before he let it drop.</p><p>Gordon gave him a questioning look, and he nodded.</p><p>"We’re all ready here, Mr. Freeman," he said, "let's do this."</p><p>The thick metal doors leading to the massive teleporter started to open, and no sooner had the Science Team started towards the chamber did time freeze with an abrupt lurch. Gordon felt a small crawling sense of dread that solidified when a man in a suit stepped out from behind the open door. He adjusted his tie as he came to a stop in front of Gordon.</p><p>"Doctor Freeman... It's good to see that you've made such, fine progress on your way to handle this whole... <em> ordeal </em>. I believe that Xen, will, have many surprises for you--"</p><p>"Hey," a voice piped up from behind Gordon. The man started like a spooked deer, "are you supposed to be here?"</p><p>The man's stare slid past Gordon's face to look behind him, his expression shifting from neutral to minor annoyance. At whatever he saw, however, his frown pulled a little tighter.</p><p>"Excuse me, I am... currently having a... <em> conversation </em>with, Doctor Freeman."</p><p>Gordon could hear Benrey give a little annoyed huff.</p><p>"Yeah cool, but if you don't have ID then you're not supposed to be here? Gonna have to ask you to leave."</p><p>He brushed past Gordon as he stepped forward, and at the brief contact his body was released from whatever froze it still. He stumbled forward, but his newfound mobility went unnoticed by either of the other men.</p><p>"Although, hey," Benrey seemed to ease up momentarily as he considered something, "you got PS Plus? Might be-- only nice people, uh-- have a free month. Alternate ID?"</p><p>"I-- I don't know what--" the man shifted uncomfortably, taking a slight step away from Benrey.</p><p>"That's a no?"</p><p>"Uh-- you see... Dr. Freeman and I, have, some business...he has been <em> assisting </em> me with a particular, task, and so I don't have time to discuss the finer details of... PS Plus--"</p><p>"Uhuh. I get it, but Vibesman is already helping us with some stuff. Gotta whole... full stream schedule. Busy prepping for-- for his big marathon run, lots of things to do. And you don't have any ID, so," at this Benrey leaned in a little bit closer, and to Gordon's surprise the man takes another step back, "I'm not gonna ask again. Got ID? Got PS Plus? Show you're supposed to be here please, <em> friend </em>."</p><p>"I--" he cast a nervous gaze over to Gordon, even more unsettled when he realized that Gordon was moving on his own, "you'll-- your task will be-- you'll. Figure it out."</p><p>There was something inherently satisfying about watching the man in the suit all but run away from Benrey, even if this one seemed to be this universe's and not his own employer. Time resumed with the mechanical whirr of the reactor, and Benrey turned to stare at it for a moment before turning back to Gordon, face neutral.</p><p>"Geez," he said, clicking his tongue briefly in annoyance, "just want a month of PS Plus, man..."</p><p>"How'd you do that?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"Huh? Do what?" Benrey asked, glancing around them, "Something happen?"</p><p>Gordon sighed.</p><p>"Well, thanks anyway," Gordon said, the color a bright sky blue <em> thank you </em>, and Benrey let out a small huff.</p><p>"Whuh? Thank you for what? Whatever," Benrey muttered quickly, looking away, "S'not... <em> you </em> don't have ID either, so you gotta-- gotta make you leave. You know. On Xen. Can't do that if you get yanked around by, uh, suits-- besides, can't bully your guy to give back Freeman if you get vanished. That's, uh, that's a no go. And he's not-- I-- <em> Freeman </em> didn't have his passport either, probably off stealing things somewhere. Just a bunch of scofflaws and thieves around here, gotta keep an eye on 'em all, jeez."</p><p>A small bit of the Voice escaped with the words, betraying him. Deep green like kelp. <em> 'I still need your help' </em>. Benrey stared at the color as if it had personally offended him.</p><p>"Sssshut," Benrey said, glaring at Gordon before he could do anything beyond look vaguely amused, "just as bad as the other Freeman. No respect for your pal Benrey."</p><p>"Gordon? Benrey? How'd you both get over there?" Dr. Coomer asked. Gordon glanced between Benrey and where the man had been standing a few moments before.</p><p>"Tommy... I think we saw your dad?" he said, Tommy perking up immediately. Behind him, Bubby grumbled indistinctly about someone who could apparently pop in and out of reality just leaving them here.</p><p>"...Yeah?"</p><p>"He left after Benrey asked him for... uh... PS... Plus?"</p><p>"Just wanted a free month, man," Benrey grumbled. Tommy nodded sympathetically.</p><p>"PS Plus is expensive, Mr. Freeman!"</p><p>Gordon was about to ask what it <em> was </em> when there was the distant voice of a scientist somewhere beyond the door, wondering what the hell was keeping them all and telling them to hurry it up.</p><p>"Let's get going, gentlemen," Dr. Coomer said, "the only way home is forward!"</p><p>"Yeah, come on," Bubby said, giving an urging push to Gordon's shoulder as he walked towards the main chamber of the teleporter.</p><p>The massive structure buzzed with life. Far above them on a small overlook one of the scientists was standing at a control panel, the large claw-like machines that surrounded the central reactor groaning as they shifted into place. A static charge and low clicking sound filled the air like lightning about to strike as the machine kicked on fully, the Science Team shifting restlessly.</p><p>Benrey stared at the large machine, expression unreadable.</p><p>"Not too late to, uh, turn around. Go home," he said to Gordon, "Find another way. "</p><p>Gordon gave him an incredulous look, turning to look at the teleporter again for a moment before fixing an unamused stare at Benrey.</p><p>"Scientists said that there's uh-- some... big ol' energy reading over there."</p><p>"The Vortigaunts called it the Nihilanth," Gordon affirmed. Benrey scrunched his nose up in confusion.</p><p>"Wha?" he asked, squinting at the Sweet Voice like it might offer a bit more insight, "What fuckin' color... oh, uh, that big dude with the Vonneguts? Nah, he's, told you already."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>The teleporter crackled to life, a bright golden glow that bathed the entire room. Benrey gave a noncommittal shrug.</p><p>"Not around." Benrey said.</p><p>"Then-- what's causing the rift?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"New Freeman hit the million dollar question, huh? Gonna go find out? Could turn back."</p><p>A sudden cacophony of shrieking sounds interrupted them as several aliens appeared, floating in the air with small malformed bodies dangling beneath their massive heads. The instant they appeared they began to gather a bright energy in their three small hands, each flinging shots aggressively towards the teleporter. The Science Team scattered in a flurry of gunfire and alarmed shouting, one of the creatures angrily turning towards them as a shot from Tommy struck it in the head.</p><p>The roar of the teleporter's machinery pitched up another octave as the portal took on a greenish glow, bright blue lasers focusing on the center of the chamber.</p><p>"It's almost ready!" The scientist above said, voice wavering, "You must keep these creatures from tearing it apart!"</p><p>The scientist screamed in alarm as a few shots from the alien struck close to the control panel. It dropped with a quick shot from the SMG, letting out an enraged cry as it fell. The fledgling portal crackled again, and with a final bright burst of light it stabilized into a glowing green orb.</p><p>"Go!"</p><p>Gordon had just enough time to do a headcount that the rest of the Science Team was with him before another blow struck from the aliens struck the outer structure. The machinery gave an unsettling groan.</p><p>"Let's get out of here!" Bubby yelled, urging Gordon forward, and with the sound of their footsteps behind him he ran to the edge of the platform and leapt. For just an instant, there was nothing--</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>-- and then Gordon stumbled as his feet impacted with what felt like soft earth. This suspicion was confirmed when he immediately lost his balance and fell, dirt and small soft plants pressing into his face. He could hear the shuffling of his companions nearby as he blinked the afterimage out of his eyes, and as his vision cleared he saw Alyx next to him, Kolya helping her up from where she'd also fallen.</p><p>"Oh my god..." Alyx murmured, looking around them. The ground under them was a deep purple-brown and the sky shifted continually between a mix of colors, flowing almost as if it were alive. Around them grew thick vines and grasses, the leaves deep purples and greens.</p><p>"Wow," Gordon said. Considering that almost every creature he'd met that had come from Xen, with limited exception, had been terrible nasty bastards, he had expected Xen to reflect that. Desolate, maybe with some new big monsters for flair. The area around them, though, was thick with life, small luminescent flowers dotting the edges of the cave they'd been teleported into.</p><p>In the distance small islands floated in the sky, completely unbothered by the concept of gravity. A flock of manta-ray like creatures drifted from island to island, their echoing calls a far-off melody. Nearby he could hear the chirps and chittering of unfamiliar creatures, equal parts fascinating and unnerving.</p><p>"The Wayward Freeman and the Alyx Vance's interest in Xen is most understandable. But it would be wise to keep moving, lest we meet any of its larger inhabitants." Kolya said.</p><p>"Right," Gordon said, "where are we... going, exactly? I know Uriah said you'd be able to, uh... do... whatever it is you're going to do in Xen, but..."</p><p>"The weave is weakest where it was once completely torn," Kolya said.</p><p>"Oh, okay, whatever the hell <em> that </em> means," Gordon muttered.</p><p>"We must head to the chamber that once was home to the Nihilanth itself. There, where many dimensions were longest enmeshed, and the veil thinnest, will we be able to reach others. Both the Wayward Freeman's home, as well as wherever our own Freeman may have wandered."</p><p>"Wait, is it actually as simple as you're making it sound?" Gordon asked dubiously.</p><p>"I know Uriah said you <em> could </em>, but... how exactly are we doing that?" Alyx asked.</p><p>"Mere distance across the dimensions is insufficient to sever your ties within the Vortessence. Here, in places such as Xen, the thread that binds you will sing loudest if plucked."</p><p>"...Okay?" Alyx said, giving Gordon an uncertain look that he could only offer a vague shrug to.</p><p>"Well," Gordon said, hitching the Tau Cannon a little higher where he'd slung it onto his back, "lead on."</p><p>Gordon gave Alyx a curious glance, leaning in slightly as they moved from the cave to a thickly forested area.</p><p>"So, what's the deal with all that--" he waved vaguely at Kolya, "exactly? With the whole-- thread thing? That's pretty--"</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>"--strange. This place is-- it isn't really what I expected, Mr. Freeman."</p><p>They'd been dropped deep in one of Xen's thick jungles, the earthy and slightly bitter taste of Xen's atmosphere heavy in the air. Behind him Dr. Coomer was giving a series of rough punches to a nearby tree that shuddered at the contact, watching the reaction with sharp curiosity. Tommy was staring up at the sky that was just visible beyond the trees, and Bubby was dusting off the dark purple dirt that had stained his lab coat. Overall their small group of four seemed unharmed.</p><p>Wait.</p><p>"Where'd Benrey go?" Bubby asked, the entire group simultaneously noticing the absence.</p><p>"Perhaps he's exploring this fascinating dimension," Dr. Coomer offered, and Tommy nervously looked around before he answered.</p><p>"I don't think he would have just... wandered off," he said, "We had a plan."</p><p>"Maybe a creature ate him!" Dr. Coomer carried on.</p><p>"Bet he ditched us at the portal," Bubby grumbled.</p><p>"Where would he have gone?" Gordon asked. Tommy gave an uncertain shrug.</p><p>"I... dunno?"</p><p>Despite the amount of plants living on the island where they'd landed, it was not very large, and a brief search found them at the edge of the rock without any sign of Benrey. Xen's skies shifted like an angry river, and far off there was what sounded like the low rumble of thunder. In the distance there was a light like a bright red star, the shadows of the Vortigaunts' factories only just visible as a smear of shadow against it.</p><p>Without any better idea of where to go or any sign of the missing guard their best bet was to pick a direction and hope they found him along the way. They began towards the distant island, glowing like a guiding star in Xen's skies.</p><p>What exactly it was guiding them <em> to </em> was less clear to Gordon. The discordant whispers of the Nihilanth's voice that had followed him through Xen the first time were absent. In their place was something else-- a sound that he felt more than he heard, coming from some indeterminable direction. If his companions heard it they made no indication; soft as it may have been, he didn't think they'd be able to miss it in the absolute quiet of the jungles around them.</p><p>In fact, the further they got the more apparent it was that Xen was almost <em> silent </em>: the flocks of creatures that normally drifted from island to island were absent, and though they could occasionally hear the sound of houndeye feet and the scuttling of various creatures nothing ever approached.</p><p>Even the plants had curled in on themselves, bioluminescent flowers dim. As they paused at the edge of a glowing river to reorient themselves, he could tell that the others had picked up on the fact that something seemed to be off as well.</p><p>"This place is very ominous, Gordon! I'd like to leave," Dr. Coomer said with far too much levity.</p><p>"It-- doesn't it seem that there's too few creatures?" Tommy asked, "It's quieter here than... than a museum at midnight."</p><p>"Come now, Tommy," Dr. Coomer replied, "Everyone knows that midnight is when the exhibits are temporarily released from their chains! A quite rowdy and <b>enviable</b> time, no doubt."</p><p>"O-oh, right. Well, then, uhm... how about it being as silent as a graveyard forgotten in the woods?"</p><p>"Those are full of ghosts," Bubby said, "Try again."</p><p>"It's-- really quiet."</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Gordon had changed his mind about Xen. It was perfect for all its miserable little bastards, and the surprising beauty and thick plantlife merely obscured this fact. He was roughly yanked back by Kolya as what he'd <em> thought </em> was a tree stabbed its branch-like spike into the ground where he'd just been standing.</p><p>"The Freeman must watch his step."</p><p>"Y-yeah, seems so! Thanks for the <em>advanced</em> <em>warning</em>!" he said, his fear bubbling up as a nervous laugh.</p><p>It'd apparently been two decades since any humans had been in Xen. Despite that, traces lingered. Long-abandoned surveying tools had been half-swallowed under thick green ferns and moss. Old supply boxes, Black Mesa branding just barely visible under layers of grime, dotted the edges of islands.</p><p>They served as accidental cairns that led to some kind of geo-dome nonsense structure, another logo painted on the side in a fading black. It seemed that no matter how far they travelled there were still traces of the company here and there, signs of their interference in the dimension left like greasy fingerprints on glass.</p><p>One of the structures cut through the cave they were currently passing through, and he stepped into it uneasily. It seemed to be some kind of lab. Xenium crystals left abandoned on tables served as dim candles, their soft orange glow reflecting off of dusty monitors and torn polyester tarps. The walls of the lab were lined with silent machines, their exact purpose unknown. At least to <em> him </em>, because as they passed by one of them Alyx stopped, briefly catching his arm and his attention.</p><p>"Hey, wait a second," she said, "look at this."</p><p>It was a large metal table, with dials and levers set into almost every available surface. Small screens sat over a few sets of indicators, the grid of a graph burned into the screens and fading marker scribbles ticking off a few points on it.</p><p>"...Okay, I'm looking, but I'm not sure I'm really seeing here, Alyx," Gordon said.</p><p>"It's some kind of frequency control system, but there's nothing in here that it could be used for except for these crystals."</p><p>"What could they have been using it for here?" Gordon asked, and Alyx gave him a mildly unimpressed look as she quickly gestured with her head to the Xenium scattered around them, "C'mon, there's no way they were running teleportation experiments in a space as small as this."</p><p>"Structures here suggest that they had long since passed experimentation," Kolya mused, coming in from a side room it had been exploring.</p><p>"Huh?" Gordon asked, sliding past the Vortigaunt to investigate the other room. There was a large platform in the center, a small guardrail encircling it and a mess of cables leading back to the device Alyx was still standing by. He curiously brushed his hand over the control panel next to the platform, a faded note taped to it with pairs of numbers scrawled in large handwriting.</p><p>"I think I found some teleporter coordinates?" He said, "Think we can use these?"</p><p>Alyx was by his side in an instant, scanning the document eagerly before she let out an annoyed sigh.</p><p>"Probably not, unless you found a map in here too," she said, "There's no telling where these could send us."</p><p>"Perhaps for another time," Kolya said, and Alyx nodded as they continued through.</p><p>Their exit from the labs was blocked by an HEV suit that was pressed against the door. As Gordon hefted it up to move aside he grimaced at the way it pressed against his own suit, desperately hoping it had been abandoned unoccupied but knowing that it likely wasn't. Black Mesa had left their mark, alright, on Earth and on Xen and on every single person who'd been unlucky enough to be sent here.</p><p>The labs led back into tunnels that gradually opened up to a wide vista, and Kolya gestured to their destination, now within reach. Only a few terrifying jumps away was a large island, where collapsing, seemingly abandoned structures contributed to a crumbling skyline. A thick layer of dusty clouds obscured any further details. As they approached, the air shifted like a thunderstorm was approaching, a chill settling in despite the temperature regulation of the HEV suit.</p><p><em> These </em> buildings definitely hadn't been built by Black Mesa; they were made of strange metals and the same stone as the ground they stood on. A massive crumbling structure dominated the sky ahead of them. It'd been some sort of tower, once, made of dark stone that twisted up from the ground like it had grown out of Xen itself, now a small mountain of rubble. His nerves turned into a nervous buzz under his skin the closer they got, and he tried to shove down the creeping sense of wrongness.</p><p>Alyx paused at the edge of the massive island as they landed. She'd been dusting dirt off her pants from the slightly ungraceful landing when she froze, glancing around for a moment before turning back to them both.</p><p>"Do you guys hear that?" she asked. Gordon and Kolya paused, the only sounds around them the distant shuffling of creatures and the crunch of the rocky ground under their feet.</p><p>"...No?" Gordon said, and Alyx frowned. She was tense for a moment, clearly expecting something, and then her shoulders slumped.</p><p>"Whatever it was, it's gone," she said, "That's weird though..."</p><p>"What was it?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"For a second I almost thought I heard... singing?"</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The closer they got to their goal, the more the air grew thick with an unknown tension. The plants had gone from dim to dark, leaves folded away and stalks pulled into themselves. Anything brave enough to glow cast long shadows around itself. The sound that Gordon had heard since he'd arrived in Xen persisted, having risen to a low hum, and no matter how far they seemed to walk its source and direction remained unclear.</p><p>It felt like diving further underwater. The small bits of Xen's sky that peeked through the tangled branches of the trees were dim, and an uneasy quiet had fallen that not even the aliens broke. It was as if the entire dimension was waiting for something.</p><p>Something big shifted near them and a collection of too many eyes glinted in the darkness. At the abrupt sound the Science Team startled, Tommy emptying the entire clip of his pistol at a frankly alarming rate. They pulled from their loose grouping into something tighter as the gun still clicked uselessly in Tommy's hands, pressed almost shoulder-to-shoulder by the dense foliage.</p><p>There was a distinctly alien grumbling, and then it morphed into something more familiar.</p><p>"Uh, ow. Not cool, Tommy."</p><p>"Hu-- Benrey?" Tommy said.</p><p>"Where'd you even g--" Bubby started to complain, but his words died as Benrey entered the clearing proper.</p><p>A clearing that had been very tiny until a few moments ago, when a large hand had brushed away trees and plants with all the care of brushing crumbs off a table. And for some definition of 'entering' the clearing, because while Benrey's massive head was resting on his crossed arms, the rest of his body disappeared right into the ground.</p><p>"O-oh," Tommy said.</p><p>Benrey stared down at them as he shifted to bring a hand up to his face, scrubbing away at blood that'd gathered where Tommy's shots had struck. He gave a slightly annoyed grumble as he ended up wiping it off on the cuff of his sleeve, staining the already grimy fabric red.</p><p>"What the fuck," Bubby said.</p><p>"Gordon," Dr. Coomer said in a stage whisper that was probably <em> supposed </em> to be a real whisper, "I'm scared."</p><p>Gordon looked up, meeting his stare as all he managed was chartreuse, the confusion it signaled clear on his face and in the quick movement of his hands. Benrey made a face at the harsh buzz.</p><p>"Hey uh, what's the deal? Thought you'd be a bit happier to see your good friend."</p><p>"You've become quite large, Benrey!" Dr. Coomer said, and Benrey glanced down at himself as if he was just noticing this fact.</p><p>"Huh? You're too small. Xen's big place, gotta be <em> fast </em>, no time for doing all this... using tiny legs," he said, gesturing down at their small group, "How long you guys been here?"</p><p>"It's been three hours!" Dr. Coomer said, and Benrey let out an irritated sigh.</p><p>"Sucks."</p><p>"How'd you find us?" Tommy asked, Benrey cocking his head to the side like a confused dog.</p><p>"You're not, don't, uh-- did you have a plan? Just wandering around?"</p><p>"We were <em> looking </em> for <em> you </em>," Bubby said.</p><p>"It seems you found us first," Dr. Coomer added.</p><p>"Hell yeah. Won uh, competitive hide and seek. Interdimensional... first prize," he said, "I'm pro."</p><p>"Isn't, uh, isn't all hide and seek competitive?" Tommy asked, Benrey huffing in annoyance.</p><p>"No..." he whined slightly, "Like-- lots of things looking, gotta... find you first."</p><p>Benrey paused, glancing away for a moment, and distantly there was a low tone that was steady like the distant sound of a plane. Unnatural, and getting closer.</p><p>An abrupt flick of Benrey's hand tossed the Science Team back into the trees that edged the clearing. In a blink a regular-sized Benrey was standing by them, giving them a considering stare from where he'd effectively bowled them all over.</p><p>"Benrey, <em> what </em>--" Bubby started, but a sharp bark of Sweet Voice from Benrey cut him off.</p><p>"Quiet time is now, thank you," Benrey said.</p><p>"Benrey," Dr. Coomer started, but Benrey gave a firm shake of his head.</p><p>"Hide and seek round two. Quiet time."</p><p>The whining tone got louder, and Benrey nudged the irritable scientists further into the shadows. There was a tense silence, all eyes on the clearing.</p><p>Two small floating creatures broke through the trees. Their carapaces had the sheen of dull metal, a light brown with flecks of darker colors breaking up their outline. A bright light swept across the area from both of them, and a single bright yellow eye peeked out from a gap in their armoring.</p><p>Even if Gordon <em> hadn't </em> seen these before, flushing out buildings in City 17 and dropping hopper mines, there was no mistaking the bright red pincer-like symbol on their bodies that marked their owners.</p><p>The scanners paused, sweeping the clearing with their searchlights, and when they seemed to find nothing of interest they floated up into the sky and away.</p><p>There was an uncertain silence, and then Benrey walked back out into the clearing, watching the sky as if he expected them to come right back.</p><p>"What were those?" Tommy asked, wandering cautiously out after him, "They sure aren't-- they're pretty different from all the other creatures here."</p><p>"New management," Benrey said simply, "dunno what they're looking for."</p><p>"They're scouts," Gordon said, immediately catching Benrey's attention, "they're probably mapping Xen before they bring in anything bigger."</p><p>"And how would you know, huh?" Benrey asked before Tommy could even start to translate, eyes narrowed, "You met 'em before, Freeman? Good pals?"</p><p>"They were used in the cities," Gordon said.</p><p>"Huh? They're-- you've seen them before?" Benrey asked, and he let out a disbelieving scoff when Gordon nodded, "And you wanna go <em> back? </em> The hell, man, thought you were supposed to be like... the smarter Freeman. Seems big stupid to go back."</p><p>"What were they, precisely?" Dr. Coomer asked, "This seems like quite the reaction for a few small creatures."</p><p>"They don't, won't always be alone. Starts small, do some easy slips between dimensions. They'll bring friends."</p><p>"...You've seen them before, too," Gordon said. It wasn't a question, and Benrey gave him an irritated stare instead of answering.</p><p>"...So we have to stop them before they can bring any friends?" Tommy asked.</p><p>"Coulda just stayed on Earth," Benrey grumbled, "But <em> some </em> baby Freeman wants to go back to his Earth with the evil empire."</p><p>"I think it's a little late for... staying on Earth," Tommy said, "Any other ideas?"</p><p>The group consensus quickly seemed to be: <em> not really </em>. While they were more than capable of picking off the scanners, it'd just ensure something bigger came into Xen the next time the Combine pushed a search party through.</p><p>"Well, is there at least anywhere we can start? We're not getting anything done sitting here waiting," Bubby said.</p><p>Benrey hummed in thought, glancing up to the distant red island.</p><p>"Yeh, did think something was a little off... somewhere, so uh, step one of the new cool plan is..."</p><p>It was quiet for a second before Benrey hummed to himself, the tone varying a little bit in a not-really-melody. He paused for just a moment before he confidently sang out a single bright note in an unidentifiable color.</p><p>It wasn't any louder than Benrey's normal Sweet Voice, but to Gordon's ears it had an angry buzz like a guitar string that had been plucked too harshly. The background sound he'd almost tuned out rose to match the pitch, and it rang in his ears, vibrated in his chest, tugged on his heart with a harsh <em> yank </em>-- and as quickly as it came it was gone. He glanced at the fading not-a-color light around them, the tone still sitting at the edge of his brain. Again, any strangeness went unremarked upon by the Science Team, Gordon apparently alone in whatever... that had been.</p><p>"...Thaaaat way," Benrey said, gesturing vaguely to the bright beacon of the distant factories, "Step one that way, let's go please?"</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Black Mesa's traces had barely faded when something else took their place. The further they went into the ruins of the factories the more dark, metallic structures rose from the earth like the spines of a massive monster. In some places old stone buildings had been caved in and shoved aside to make way for new structures; in others the metal seemed to be swallowing parts of them whole, awkward appendages forming the tall structures that were maybe once walkways.</p><p>Like the Black Mesa labs these too seemed abandoned, though much more recently. No plants had yet tried to claim the buildings, wires and structural ties climbing over everything instead of vines. The occasional painted markings in a language Alyx didn't recognize had barely started to fade.</p><p>The distinctive touch of Combine architecture was everywhere around them, subsuming what it could and reducing the rest of it to rubble. Alyx was no stranger to it, but the way it slowly rose up around them felt far too organic, like stepping into the jaws of a beast.</p><p>It was quiet, and the only sounds were those of their footsteps and the sliding of Gordon’s curious hand down a metal gate post as they passed through it.</p><p>"So," he finally said, "what is all this? And why the hell is it so different from everything else we've seen in Xen? This isn't Black Mesa's stuff, right?"</p><p>Alyx shook her head, pausing where the structures finally seemed to meet something older, steel once again giving way to stone. She glanced back, taking in the way the dust and dark shadowy buildings blocked out the sky, how the few plants that had been on this island had withered away the further they went into the belly of the beast. A microcosm of assimilation and destruction that she'd already seen writ large elsewhere. She'd grown up in a world that was half-consumed, and seeing it in Xen reminded her that there must be thousands of other places just like it. Just like Earth.</p><p>"...Alyx?"</p><p>"This is old Combine tech," she said, quieter than she meant to, "It must be from when they first used Xen to come to Earth."</p><p>"Oh," Gordon said, glancing nervously back behind them as if this new information meant that something was going to come crawling out of the darkened doors and gaps.</p><p>Not that it was entirely out of the realm of possibility. Some of their nastier creations had a real knack for not dying.</p><p>"Why'd they leave it?"</p><p>"Too much effort, maybe? It wasn't like anybody was going to poke at Xen when <em> they </em> were around, and from the looks of it they'd already set up all the actual machinery their teleport network would've needed..."</p><p>"The costs of maintaining access to Xen are... prohibitive," Kolya said, "and until recently, Combine control of Earth was absolute. With both endpoints captured, Xen became simply a conduit."</p><p>The dark steel gave way to yet another era of structures, the floor a porous, almost sponge-like rock instead of steel. Carved stone beams rose above them like massive ribs, and long thin conveyors wound around them and zig-zagged up the levels.</p><p>They carefully picked their way over narrow paths and deep pits. As they moved through the remains of a long dormant factory there was the occasional flicker of something in the corner of her vision, or a faint whisper around them. Gordon clearly heard it too, giving her nervous glances in some hope for an explanation. She didn't know what it was, either, but Alyx had her gun at the ready, grip tight.</p><p>Occasionally, under it all, was that soft singing sound she'd heard before, rising and falling in intensity but never acknowledged by the others.</p><p>"You guys are hearing that, right?" Gordon asked, jumping at the sound of a distant voice to face an empty platform, "Please tell me you guys are hearing that."</p><p> "It's not just you," she assured, and the tension in his shoulders eased slightly at the acknowledgment.</p><p>"Our bonds pull us ever closer to other moments," Kolya said.</p><p>"Bonds?" Gordon asked, "Is this about like that... thing, earlier, with the ties or whatever that was?"</p><p>"We are all interconnected within the Vortessence," Kolya said, "We are close to the Nihilanth's lair, and this connection transcends mere factors of time and space."</p><p>"Uh... huh? Time and space?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"Other moments, briefly crossing our own as something draws them near."</p><p>Gordon scrubbed at his hair as he let out a frustrated noise, clearly not understanding. Alyx hummed in thought.</p><p>"Moments crossing... Gordon, when you first showed up, Silas said it was because of some-- entanglement. Maybe this is like that?"</p><p>"How literal is this whole-- weave, thread metaphor, exactly?" he asked.</p><p>Alyx gave him a slight shrug, because she had never quite been able to figure it out. She figured that it was the best description they could give to humans, who couldn't perceive the Vortessence, to explain the interconnectedness everything had. Something that could be twisted, sewn together, moments meeting in time, the whole strong in its interconnectedness despite whatever it suffered.</p><p>Their path let out in a massive chamber that was lit only by the small, scattered remnants of glowing orange crystals. Tall pillars of rock had crumbled and toppled, and as they moved further into the room thick, murky water sloshed around their feet. Alyx made a distinct noise of displeasure as it rose over her shoes, soaking the bottoms of her jeans. She gave a slightly jealous glance to the boots of the HEV suit, although it was quickly forgotten as Kolya spoke.</p><p>"We have arrived," Kolya said. The words echoed loudly around them, bouncing off walls that climbed so high they couldn’t see where they gave way to a ceiling, only darkness. Alyx could just make out the boxy shadows of more Combine machinery, clinging to high walls, their wires dangling uselessly.</p><p>"So, what do we have to do here, exactly? In this giant empty room?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"We must locate both the Wayward Freeman's home, as well as our own Freeman," Kolya said, letting out a small grumble as it thought, "You are joined to your homes, to those in them, and this will be our guide."</p><p>At this it turned to look at Alyx, taking a few steps towards her as it took her hands within its long fingers.</p><p>"The Alyx Vance..." the Vortigaunt said, turning to look at her, "your bond with the Freeman lays bare the true nature of that which connects us. Like the string of an instrument, it will sing should you pluck it."</p><p>She shifted, uncertain, and Kolya fixed her with a many-eyed stare that caused her to still.</p><p>"We shall assist," it said, giving a small squeeze to her hands. The Vortigaunt spoke, the sounds of their language familiar yet as incomprehensible as ever. The sounds echoed around them in the massive space, overlapping until they merged into a single hum that filled the chamber. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gordon glancing up and around them, hand shifting to grab where his prosthetic met the HEV suit.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Benrey had been correct that it was much faster to travel across Xen when you did not have tiny legs. (Gordon also suspected it was much faster when you didn't believe in gravity, as Benrey had also demonstrated.) He was watching them as they approached the edge of their goal, the shadows of the buildings looming above blocking out the bright light at the top of the tower. The buildings were silent save for the echo of their footsteps, and as they approached it quickly became clear that the factory floors had been abandoned and the conveyor belts stopped.</p><p>"Maybe they're all on a break?" Tommy said, Benrey glancing down from where he was wedged halfway in the ceiling. Gordon had been watching him, reevaluating all those times Benrey had simply wandered off and reappeared as he pleased. He'd had a few running theories, and absolutely <em> none </em> of them had involved the <em> total </em> disregard for physics the man seemed to possess.</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"The-- whoever these factories are for," he clarified.</p><p>"Mm. They left 'em."</p><p>"Why?" Gordon asked.</p><p>"I dunno, ask your weird... Voltgut buddies," Benrey said dismissively, shoulder briefly appearing through the wall as he shrugged, "Was uh, right after I got here, didn't care."</p><p>Benrey let out another quick note of the buzzing Voice that seemed to be leading them somewhere. He wasn't sure if it was because of their movement through Xen or Benrey's singing, but the quiet background sound had slowly risen to a low, pulsing beat. Gordon shuddered at the ringing in his ears, looking up at Benrey and giving a quick reply.</p><p>"Green to white like a snowdrop means 'Please stop'," Tommy translated idly, "Mr. Freeman, it's-- it's kinda rude to-- he's just singing."</p><p>"That is rather rude, Gordon," Dr. Coomer added, and Gordon sighed.</p><p>"What are you even doing?" he finally asked, Benrey blinking down at him.</p><p>"Lookin' for something... weird," he said, although a few moments later a much smaller Benrey was dropping down next to Gordon, staring at him intently, "Bad Vibesman doesn't like when I do this?"</p><p><em> That </em> was too close and too loud, a deafening tone keeping time with the sudden spike in his heart rate. He couldn't help grimace, suppressing a wince as Benrey stared at him intently. The ringing had barely started to fade when he abruptly turned and wandered off, and as it settled back to that soft background sound Gordon thought he heard him muttering something that sounded suspiciously like <em> 'Gordon Weirdman' </em> under his breath before slipping through a wall.</p><p>--</p><p>The dark waters lapped at the shins of his HEV suit as they entered a cavernous chamber. Large crystals high on the walls were the only source of light, the Science Team reduced to silhouettes as they reached the center.</p><p>"Here," Benrey said, "There's something weird here."</p><p>"This room is empty, Benrey," Dr. Coomer said.</p><p>"Why'd we come all the way up here to an empty room?" Bubby grumbled.</p><p>Something weird here, indeed. Gordon could hear the pounding of his heart as he stood in the chamber again, staring up at the massive space and remembering the creature that had once occupied it. Benrey's large form dominated it now as he dropped into a casual sit, eyes wandering around the space as if he might divine something that way.</p><p>"M-maybe the room is empty," Tommy said, "But that doesn't mean that it's empty of meaning!"</p><p>"What?" Bubby replied.</p><p>Gordon took a steadying breath but the sound of his heartbeat continued, and he realized after a moment that it wasn't the sound of his heart but that sound that had followed him through Xen, ebbing and flowing with his pulse. Here he could hear a quieter sound, a slightly different pitch that shifted to the same beat. A gentle harmony, an interweaving of sound--</p><p>"Benrey," Gordon asked, "If Xen is its own separate dimension, why is it different from when I was here before?"</p><p>"Huh?" Benrey asked, leaning forward, "You'd know? Vortinauts are always on about time... space... shit's all fake or whatever. Everything happened, uh-- nothing happens. All places, nowhere. Stupid."</p><p>Here, where in another time and place a massive creature had torn the divide between Xen and some Earth, where the thin layer between dimensions had once been wrenched away--</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>-- he could feel it. Xen was a place between places; a dimension defined only as the space delicately separating the many others that touched it, only barely keeping worlds apart.</p><p>There'd been a strange feeling that had persisted since they'd gotten near these factories, the distant snippets of voices familiar in a way that didn't make sense. Something close by and yet nowhere around them, something brushing against the HEV suit. The sensation of something else, some<em> one </em> else, right here, under Gordon's own skin--</p><p>He swallowed down the discomfort of phantom fingers he no longer had, watching in silence. Nothing visibly shifted, but the echoing sounds had merged into a single pure note that seemed to vibrate in his bones, buzzing in his ears, like one of Benrey's songs--</p><p>For just a moment the shadows that had only been movement in the corner of his vision became clearer. The indistinct form of something massive looming above them, a shadow of a person dwarfed by its size. A smudge of a memory. The ghostly sensation of many groups, snippets of voices both human and Vortigaunt. Nearby, the figure of a man standing perfectly still.</p><p>The wire, pulled taut--</p><p> </p><p>finally snapped. There wasn't any sound, it was deafeningly loud,<br/>the cry of a thousand creatures, the soft thud of a lone heartbeat. <br/>He didn't feel the ground under him shift, and yet--</p><p> </p><p>he was thrown to the ground, catching himself on hands and knees.<br/>The water churned as if agitated, but his attention was <br/>immediately pulled to the sound of--</p><p> </p><p>a cacophony of voices, sounds of surprise and panic.<br/>An alarmed shout and the sound of something hitting water <br/>paired with a cymbal crash. Someone painfully close by, a--</p><p> </p><p>group of people standing over him. There's a moment of calm, Gordon--</p><p> </p><p>finally looked up, and--</p><p> </p><p>he saw--</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> himself. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>A silence fell in the wake of whatever the hell that just was, or perhaps there had never really been any sounds other than the echoing song that only he could hear. It had faded, and now around him was the sloshing of quite a few pairs of feet as they rushed over to the other individual in an HEV suit.</p><p>"Gordon?" someone-- <em> Alyx? </em>-- asked from just beside him, and Gordon easily took the hand that reached out to help him back to standing.</p><p>Sure enough, Alyx now stood in front of him, hand hovering slightly awkwardly where she had let go. She seemed slightly unsettled by whatever had just happened, but as she met his gaze there was no mistaking the cautious joy.</p><p>"You're-- we've got the right one, right?" she said, levity sounding only a <em> little </em> forced, "Because I'm not going to lie, I was worried for a bit that we'd somehow end up with a third Gordon to worry about, and you're all bad enough on your own--"</p><p>He didn't <em> exactly </em> sweep her into a hug, the suit's numerous motorized joints required a fair amount of care to avoid pinching people, but he got as close as he could. The movement startled a noise of surprise out of her, cutting off anything else she was going to say as she easily slid into the familiar embrace.</p><p>She let her forehead drop against the metal of the suit and he hummed softly into her hair where it was now pressed against his face. Promises to help and deals struck had only gone so far to reassure him, and it was only now, holding Alyx close, that the future started to seem a little more certain.</p><p>He pulled away just a bit, but whatever he was about to say was lost as worry and relief and a dozen other emotions bubbled up. And then <em> literally </em> bubbled up, merged into a single feeling, the Voice half-reflexive after using it so often in the last few days and the constant low hum of it in Xen. He hadn't been prepared to stifle the taste of cloying sweetness, and a bright pink to blue escaped accompanied by a quiet mid-tone note.</p><p>Alyx blinked, about a thousand questions contained in how high her eyebrows raised. He stiffened, surprise and a few varieties of embarrassment turning into a slight blush.</p><p>"That's... new," Alyx said finally, glancing up at the slowly fading lights. She gave his arm one last squeeze that he barely felt before breaking away to give him a quick once-over, as if that might give her some answer.</p><p>Gordon started trying to figure out where, precisely, this explanation should begin.</p><p>"With each new accomplishment of The Freeman, his mystery ever deepens," a Vortigaunt said from right beside them, both of them abruptly reminded that they weren't alone in the large chamber.</p><p>"...Accomplishment?" Alyx asked.</p><p>"It is not by our hand alone that we have been reunited. The Freeman, too, perceives the weave," the Vortigaunt continued, Gordon trying to identify it by the subtle patterns on its skin, "Though his method is... most unusual to us."</p><p>"It's kind of a long and weird story," he said, with <em> no </em> Sweet Voice, in lieu of the extended explanation. He'd owe Alyx a story about all this later, anyway, and she'd press him then until she was satisfied.</p><p>"Great," Alyx said, "You can tell me about it while we try and get your doppelganger home."</p><p>She turned away before he could respond to that, distracted by a small figure rising up out of the water.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>A different Gordon Freeman finally stood, glancing at the area around him. Parts of it shifted like it couldn't quite decide how it should be existing from moment to moment, rock pillars standing whole and destroyed, crystals above them and broken under their feet. He felt like that was probably a bad sign of something, but his attention was immediately diverted by the Science Team standing around him. They looked <em> almost </em> worried.</p><p>"Mr. Freeman?" Tommy asked, and Gordon gave him a wide grin.</p><p>"What, surprised to see me?" he asked, and Tommy gave a slightly nervous laugh.</p><p>"To be honest, I am," he said, "A lot of things could've-- it's dangerous to hop dimensions!"</p><p>"I'll try to avoid doing it again," he said wryly.</p><p>"Hello, Gordon!"</p><p>"Hey, Doctor Coomer," Gordon said, "Glad to see the ropes haven't gotten you yet."</p><p>"And they never will, Gordon!"</p><p>"It's about time you got back here," Bubby grumbled, but it lacked any real heat, "New Gordon doesn't let us kill people--"</p><p>"--wait, he actually managed to <em> stop </em> you guys?" Gordon asked, but Bubby continued as if he didn't hear him (or, probably more accurately, decided to ignore him).</p><p>"--and even your constant complaining is preferable to his freaky singing."</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"It's-- it's not his fault there's no other way for us to communicate," Tommy said.</p><p>"It is rather inconvenient for us, though," Dr. Coomer added, "makes him a bit of a poor conversationalist!"</p><p>Gordon heard a cheery note from somewhere nearby. He turned, expecting <em> Benrey </em>, only to see Alyx some distance away, her arms resting on the other Freeman's shoulders, his hands raised but still. They were both looking at a trail of pink and blue lights, Alyx looking like she had no idea what to make of that.</p><p>"Is that goddamn <em> Sweet Voice </em>? What the fuck? That's not-- that's not a thing where he's from!" Gordon said, fumbling for some kind of response to that.</p><p>"New Gordon has become quite proficient in the Sweet Voice™ as a means to communicate, given our own deficiencies in 'American Sign Language'." Dr. Coomer explained.</p><p>"He's pretty good, Mr. Freeman!" Tommy added.</p><p>"...Huh," Gordon said, "that's...<em> huh </em>. So did he like... how...?"</p><p>Any further musing was cut off as there was an annoyed hiss in the middle of the chamber. Benrey pushed himself out of the water, levelling an annoyed glare at the other Gordon.</p><p>"What'd you just do?" Benrey asked, a tinge of annoyance literally coloring his voice. His words carried easily in the quiet, echoing room, "Did you just break something?"</p><p>"The Freeman has reunited himself with the Alyx Vance," Kolya said, "In doing so, it seems these moments in Xen... have briefly merged."</p><p>Gordon scrambled to shove the barrels of the Science Team's guns down when they all spotted the Vortigaunt, a quick hissed <em> 'No!' </em> accompanying the movement. A moment later his brain finally processed the weird Sweet Voice enough to catch up to the fact that Benrey had shown up, and he started to briskly walk over to where Benrey had approached the other Gordon.</p><p>"Wha? Gordon Weirdman supposed to make this place <em> less </em> unstable, not-- not poke more holes! Why'd you... do the opposite of what you promised?"</p><p>The other Gordon responded to that, a mix of hand gestures and rapid, bubbling Sweet Voice, and Benrey shook his head. Gordon got a bit closer, HEV picking up the speed of his sprint as he crossed the large, echoing space.</p><p>"No-- causing all this weird shit to Xen, that's--"</p><p>"<em>You </em>," Gordon growled as he closed the distance, rubber soles skidding against the slick stone floor as he stopped.</p><p>"Oh... hey Old Freeman," Benrey said, "Not dead? Didn't become game over? <em> Nice </em>."</p><p>"No thanks to you," Gordon growled, Benrey giving him a blank look.</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"Don't you-- don't you try and pull that!" Gordon seethed, "I know all about the shit you're trying to do here! The aliens, the Resonance Cascade--"</p><p>"Think that was <em> you </em>, Gordon Freeman bein' a little clumsy, went too fast--"</p><p>"Shut up! I don't want to hear it, man-- <em> all </em> of this that's happened has been <em> your fault! </em>"</p><p>Gordon waited for him to say something to that. He'd been saving up his moments of frustration over the last few weeks just for Benrey, and it boiled right under his skin. Alyx and the other Gordon were watching them, though neither of them spoke up. Benrey was silent for a moment, lazy gaze looking him over. His eyes finally lit up with realization, a small smile on his face.</p><p>"Oh, hey, your hand grew back! I knew you could-- told ya you could do it, gotta stop being such a... negative person."</p><p>Gordon let out an aggravated shout, lunging at Benrey and punching him square across the jaw with his <em> new hand </em> . He heard a flat <em> 'ow' </em> from beneath him as they tumbled, various sounds of surprise fading into the background as he pinned Benrey down.</p><p>Benrey was staring, eyes wide, and Gordon took a deep satisfaction in that until he realized that Benrey wasn't even looking <em> at </em> him, attention instead focused on something past him.</p><p>In the distance, there was a harsh, </p><p>                                                                                                             loud </p><p><em>                                                        crack </em>, </p><p>and the shockwave of the sound caused the chamber walls to tremble and waves to roll across the shallow waters. Surprised chattering fell silent. The walls stilled and the chamber remained the same strange, shifting place it'd been moments before. The silence stretched until it felt like another wire about to snap, a tension that crept up his spine and froze him in place. His breath caught in his throat and he felt all of Xen hold its breath with him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Aaaaaand here we are! I've been waiting for Xen since I first started planning this out beyond a oneshot, and this chapter went through a lot of redrafts for me to be happy with it, so I hope people enjoy where we go from here! Black Mesa Xen best Xen.</p><p>Also, quite a few of you seem to have recently found me on tumblr, but for those of you who haven't I'm over at freemanyoufool. Come say hi or yell at me about gordon freeman or I dunno whatever you people do on there</p><p>By the way, if you've been enjoying this, and enjoy both HL and HLVRAI fic, I encourage you to reach out to Ao3 support and ask them to separate the tags. If you've already done it, thank you! If we yell at them loud enough maybe eventually they will hear our cries, lmao.<br/>Until next time! :)</p>
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